Question

Explain the basic properties of electrical charge?

Answer 1

Electrical charge is a physical property found within matter. It causes it to experience a force when in the presence of other matter with a charge. Basically, a charge can be positive `(+)` or negative `(-)`.

• Opposite charges attract and same charges repel. For instance, electrons repel each other, but protons are attracted to electrons.
• Charges interact more when closer and less when farther.
• Charges are additive. If one `+1` charge comes near a `-1` charge, the net charge is `0`. For example, a neutral compound must have all of its charges add up to `0`, so since `"Na"_2"O"` would contain two `"Na"^(+)`, it necessarily would contain only one `"O"^(2-)`.
• Higher charge magnitudes interact more strongly, and vice versa. For instance, that's why `stackrel(1+)"Na"stackrel(1-)"Cl"` has a smaller lattice energy than `stackrel(2+)"Ca"stackrel(2-)"O"`.

Answer 2

The basic properties of charge is the number of electrons that an atom or ion gains or loses to become stable.

Explanation:

If an atom or polyatomic ion loses electrons ( is oxidized ) it acquires a positive charge.
If an atom or polyatomic ion gains electrons ( is reduced ) it aquires a negative charge.

Oxygen with a high electronegativity tends to gain electrons oxidizing other atoms and ions and becoming negative in nature. (Oxygen is reduced)

An example would be water `H_2O` The density of electrons is greater around the Oxygen than the Hydrogen, resulting in the Oxygen acquiring a =2 charge while the two Hydrogen each have a +1 charge.

In the polyatomic ion sulfate `SO_4^-2` the 4 Oxygen atoms each need two more electrons to become stable. This results in a charge of =8 for the 4 Oxygen atoms. The Sulfur with a lower electronegativity than Oxygen will "lose" all six of its valance electrons ( The electrons density will be less on the sulfur). This leaves sulfur with the stable electron structure of Neon.