How many electrons are necessary to produce a charge of -11.0 C? What is the mass of this many electrons?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the charge of a single electron, which is approximately \(-1.602 \times 10^{-19}\) C.
2. Calculate the number of electrons needed to produce a charge of \(-11.0\) C by dividing the total charge by the charge of a single electron.
3. Use the formula: \( \text{Number of electrons} = \frac{-11.0 \text{ C}}{-1.602 \times 10^{-19} \text{ C/electron}} \).
4. Determine the mass of a single electron, which is approximately \(9.109 \times 10^{-31}\) kg.
5. Calculate the total mass by multiplying the number of electrons by the mass of a single electron.

Key Concepts

Charge of an Electron

An electron carries a fundamental charge of approximately -1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs. This negative charge is essential for understanding how many electrons are needed to achieve a specific total charge, as the total charge can be calculated by multiplying the number of electrons by the charge of a single electron.

Calculating Number of Electrons

To find the number of electrons required to produce a certain charge, you can use the formula: number of electrons = total charge / charge of one electron. For a charge of -11.0 C, you would divide -11.0 C by the charge of a single electron, allowing you to determine how many electrons are necessary to achieve that charge.

Mass of an Electron

The mass of a single electron is approximately 9.11 x 10^-31 kilograms. To find the total mass of the electrons calculated earlier, you multiply the number of electrons by the mass of one electron. This step is crucial for understanding the physical implications of the charge in terms of mass.