Question

What is meant by quantisation of electric charge? What is its cause?

Answer 1

Dear Student, The smallest amount of charge that has ever been observed is the charge on the electron and/or the charge on the proton (both the same amount, but opposite type). Hence the term "quantization of charge." Quantum or "quantized" means that it is numbered or integer-countable (can come in -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, etc but not 0.5 ,.25 or any other fraction. ). So the total charge on any charge object is integral multiple of charge on electron i.e. Q=n e .where Q total charge on object , e magnitude of charge on electron and n an integer . Regards