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Question

How many coulombs of charge do 25 × 10 31 electrons possess?

The correct answer is

40 × 10 12 C

Coulombs Calculation: Total Charge of Electrons

To determine the total charge possessed by a given number of electrons, we use a fundamental principle of electrostatics: the total charge is the product of the number of charge carriers and the charge of a single charge carrier. In this specific problem, the charge carriers are electrons.

Understanding the properties of an electron, particularly its elementary charge, is crucial for solving this type of problem.

Electron Charge Fundamentals

An electron is a subatomic particle that carries a negative elementary electric charge. The magnitude of this elementary charge, often denoted by \(e\), is a fundamental physical constant.

  • The charge of a single electron \(e\) is approximately \(1.6 \times 10^{-19}\) Coulombs (C).
  • This value represents the smallest unit of charge that can exist freely.

Given Data for Charge Problem

Let's identify the information provided in the question:

  • Number of electrons (\(N\)) = \(25 \times 10^{31}\) electrons
  • Charge of one electron (\(e\)) = \(1.6 \times 10^{-19}\) C (This is a known constant)

Formula for Total Electric Charge

The total charge (\(Q\)) is calculated using the following formula:

\[Q = N \times e\]

Where:

  • \(Q\) is the total charge in Coulombs (C).
  • \(N\) is the number of electrons.
  • \(e\) is the charge of a single electron in Coulombs (C).

Step-by-Step Charge Determination

Now, let's substitute the given values into the formula and perform the calculation:

  1. Substitute the values:

    \[Q = (25 \times 10^{31}) \times (1.6 \times 10^{-19} \text{ C})\]

  2. Separate the numerical and exponential terms:

    \[Q = (25 \times 1.6) \times (10^{31} \times 10^{-19}) \text{ C}\]

  3. Multiply the numerical terms:

    \[25 \times 1.6 = 40\]

  4. Combine the exponential terms using the rule \(a^m \times a^n = a^{m+n}\):

    \[10^{31} \times 10^{-19} = 10^{(31 - 19)} = 10^{12}\]

  5. Combine the results:

    \[Q = 40 \times 10^{12} \text{ C}\]

Comparing Calculated Charge with Options

The calculated total charge is \(40 \times 10^{12}\) C. Let's compare this with the provided options:

Option Charge Value
1 \(80 \times 10^{12}\) C
2 \(4 \times 10^{12}\) C
3 \(40 \times 10^{12}\) C
4 \(8 \times 10^{12}\) C

The calculated charge of \(40 \times 10^{12}\) C perfectly matches the third option.

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Important Questions from Electrostatics

  1. Three point charges q are placed at the corners of an equilateral triangle. Another point charge −Q is placed at the centroid of the triangle. If the force on each of the charges q vanishes, then the ratio Q/q is

  2. The components of the electric field, in a region of space devoid of any charge or current sources, are given to be E i= a i+ Σ j=1,2,3 bij xj , where a iand b ij are constants independent of the coordinates. The number of independent components of the matrix b ij , is

  3. Whenever a conductor cuts magnetic flux, an e.m.f. is induced in that conductor. This phenomenon is according to

  4. The value of electric field E at a point in Electric field of a point charge can be calculated using:

  5. An inductor of 3.3mH with a series resistance of 12.5 ohms is connected to a 5V dc supply. When the supply is switched off, the circuit current decay to zero in 60 microseconds. What is the value of back e.m.f. generated?

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