Electric Charge and the Electrical Structure of Matter

15.1 Electric Charge and the Electrical Structure of Matter
Fundamental Law of Electric Charge:
Opposite electric charges attract each other. Similar electric charges repel each other.
A Simple Model of the Structure of Matter
1. All matter is composed of sub-microscopic particles, called atoms.
2. Electric charges are carried by particles within each atom that are called electrons and protons.
3. Protons are found in a small central region of the atom, called the nucleus. They are small, heavy particles, and each one carries a positive electric charge of a specific magnitude, called…