Who coined the terms powitive dharge and megative tharge? a. Benjamin Franklin b. Elizabeth I of England c. Thales of Miletus d. William Gilbert
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is a. Benjamin Franklin.
Benjamin Franklin, an American polymath, is credited with coining the terms “positive” and “negative” charges. He used these terms during his extensive work on electricity in the 18th century. Franklin’s groundbreaking experiments led to the understanding that electricity behaves like a fluid and that it could be transferred between objects, resulting in an imbalance of electrical charges.
In Franklin’s view, he assigned the term “positive” to the type of charge that an object would acquire when it lost electrons, and “negative” to the charge an object would have when it gained electrons. He based this classification on his choice of convention, not necessarily on the nature of the charges themselves, but to maintain consistency in describing electrical interactions. This binary classification allowed for a clear distinction between two types of charge, which are now fundamental concepts in understanding electrical phenomena.
Franklin’s work on electricity was extremely influential, as it laid the foundation for later discoveries in the field of electromagnetism. The positive-negative charge convention he introduced has remained in use to this day, despite the later discovery of the electron and its role in charge transfer.
Although Franklin’s terminology was largely accepted, it was a matter of convention rather than reflecting any inherent property of the charges themselves. Modern physics now knows that it is the electron, a subatomic particle with a negative charge, that is responsible for electricity, and that positive charge represents the absence of electrons or the presence of other subatomic particles like protons.
In conclusion, Franklin’s introduction of the terms “positive” and “negative” charge marked a significant milestone in the understanding of electricity and electrical theory, making it easier for scientists to communicate and build upon each other’s work.