Charge Quantized: Explaining the Contradiction

In summary, charges are quantized in the macroscopic world and can only be found in integer multiples of e. However, in the quantum world, particles like quarks have fractional charges such as +2/3e or -1/3e. This may seem contradictory, but the overall charge of a particle, like a proton, is still an integer multiple of e due to the combination of quarks. In the macroscopic world, charges are only considered on electrons and protons, which remain constant. This explains the apparent contradiction.
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When I first study the chapter Charge, I was told that charges are quantized, that is, you can't find a charge of like 6.2e or 1/3e.

But later, when I got into the quantum theory, I was told that there are quarks, which have charges like +2/3e or -1/3e.

Don't these two statements contradict?

How can we explain this contradiction?
 
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  • #2
No, the two statements do not contradict one another. Any particle has a charge of an integer multiple of e. Particles, like the proton for example, are made up of a quarks, the sum of the charges of which will always equal an integer multiple of e-- in the case of a proton, +e.
 
  • #3
I would like to add here that electric charges in the macroscopic world develop only due to exchange of electrons/protons. Though protons are made of quarks, these quarks never roam about freely to create any sort of charge or current in a body. So, we only consider the charge on an electron or a proton while studying electrostatics and electrodynamics, which ,as you know, always remains constant.

Mr V
 

Related to Charge Quantized: Explaining the Contradiction

1. What is charge quantization?

Charge quantization is the concept that electric charge can only exist in discrete, integer multiples of the elementary charge, which is the charge of a single electron or proton. This means that all charges in the universe are made up of whole numbers of these elementary charges.

2. How does charge quantization explain the contradiction?

The contradiction being addressed is the fact that, at the atomic level, charge is quantized, but at the macroscopic level, it appears to be continuous. Charge quantization explains this contradiction by showing that at the macroscopic level, the discrete charges of individual particles add up to give the appearance of a continuous charge.

3. What evidence supports the concept of charge quantization?

The concept of charge quantization is supported by various experiments, including the Millikan oil drop experiment, which measured the charge on individual electrons and found it to be a multiple of the elementary charge. Additionally, the quantization of electric charge is a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics, which has been extensively tested and confirmed through various experiments.

4. How does charge quantization relate to other fundamental forces?

Charge quantization is closely related to the other fundamental forces, particularly the electromagnetic force. The quantization of charge allows for the formation of stable atoms and molecules, which are essential for the existence of matter and the formation of chemical bonds. Additionally, the quantization of charge is a fundamental aspect of quantum electrodynamics, which is the theory that describes the interactions between charged particles.

5. Are there any exceptions to charge quantization?

There are some rare exceptions to charge quantization, such as quarks, which are subatomic particles that make up protons and neutrons. Quarks have fractional charges, which are not quantized in the same way as the charges of electrons and protons. However, these exceptions do not invalidate the concept of charge quantization, as they can still be explained within the framework of quantum mechanics and the Standard Model of particle physics.

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