Electric Charge

In some Greek experiments, objects attracted each other after rubbing. Other experiments produced objects that pushed away, or repelled, each other. The evidence showed that electric force made matter either attract or repel other matter. Electric force is caused by electric charge. Electric charge is a property of the bits of matter within atoms. Electric force can cause matter to attract or repel because there are two kinds of charge – positive and negative charge. The …showed first 75 words of 596 total…

…showed last 75 words of 596 total…The unit used to measure amount of charge is the coulomb, named after the French physicist Charles Coulomb. One coulomb is a very large amount of charge. I.e. a strong lightning bolt carries 10-20 coulombs of charge between a cloud and earth. Most charge transfers in the static electricity experiments you do are much smaller. The spark that jumps between your finger and a doorknob carries only about 1 millionth of a coulomb of charge.