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Electrons - Meaning, Definition, Properties, FAQs

Electrons - Meaning, Definition, Properties, FAQs

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Jul 02, 2025 04:31 PM IST

Electrons are involved in a variety of physical processes, including electricity, magnetism, chemistry, and thermal conductivity, as well as gravitational, electromagnetic, and weak interactions. Because an electrons has charge, it has an electric field surrounding it, and if that electrons moves relative to an observer, the observer will notice it and generate a magnetic field. When electrons are accelerated, they emit or absorb energy in the form of photons. Electromagnetic fields can be used to capture individual electrons as well as electrons plasma in laboratory apparatus.

This Story also Contains
  1. What is electron definition?
  2. Discovery of electrons;
  3. Properties of electrons:

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What is electron definition?

Electron Definition and electron meaning: The electron is a subatomic particle (with the electron symbol e- or β− ) with a negative one elementary electric charge. Electrons are the first generation of the lepton particle family, and because they have no known components or substructure, they are considered elementary particles. The charge held by an electron is the same as the charge held by a proton (but has an opposite sign). As a result, electrically neutral atoms/molecules must have the same number of protons and electrons. Although the magnitude of the charges borne by protons and electrons are the same, an electron’s size and mass are substantially smaller than a proton's (an electron’s mass is around 1/1836 that of a proton). Mass of electron is, like all elementary particles, have both particle and wave properties: they may collide with other particles and be diffracted like light.

Discovery of electrons;

During the 1880s and 1890s, scientists looked for the carrier of electrical qualities in materials using cathode rays. Their efforts culminated in the 1897 discovery of the electron atoms by English physicist J.J. Thomson.

The Cathode Ray Experiment by Thomson.

In chemistry, his electron atoms definition became known as the plum-pudding model, owing to the enormous number of electrons present in a form that formed an overall positive charge, thus generating an overall neutral charge. This model was superseded by the contemporary atomic model after the discovery of protons and neutrons.

Charge of electrons:

A negatively charged particle is an electron. The magnitude of the negative charge is

1.602 x 10-19 coulomb. An electrons has a mass of 1/1837 that of a proton.

Related Topics,

The mass of an electron is:

An electrons has a mass of 9.10938356 x 10-31 kilograms. When compared to the mass of the proton, the electrons has a tiny mass.

Because of their small size of electron and mass, electrons' properties can be explored more thoroughly using quantum mechanics rather than classical mechanics. Because matter acts differently at the quantum scale, this is the case.

According to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, the uncertainty associated with the position and velocity of an electrons is substantially greater than that associated with a proton or neutron. Atomic orbitals, which may be simply seen as zones surrounding the nucleus where the likelihood of finding a given electrons is high, are where electrons are distributed around the nuclei of atoms.

The helium atom


The helium atom

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Properties of electrons:

Quantum particles have their own set of particular qualities that are not shared by other particles. Protons, neutrons, and electrons have well-defined properties for the most part. Here are some of an electrons's characteristics:

  • The mass of an electrons is 9.1 x 10-31 kg, which is equal to 0.000548579909 atomic mass units. An electrons's mass can also be expressed as 1/1840 of the mass of a hydrogen atom. Because the mass of a hydrogen atom is 1 u, the relative mass of an electrons can be written as 1/1840 u.

  • An electrons's absolute mass is 9 x 10-28 grams.

  • The effective charge of an electrons is -1 because the electrons is a negatively charged particle.

  • Because electrons have a negative charge, the electrical charge should be 1.602 x 10-19 coulombs.

  • Electrons orbit the nucleus of the atom in particular, well-defined orbits around the element's nucleus.

  • The properties of an electrons are unaffected by the gas present in the discharge tube and are independent of it.

  • Electrons also have a two-sided nature known as wave-particle duality, which implies that under certain conditions, the electrons, which is a particle, behaves like a wave.

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NCERT Chemistry Notes:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do electrons have a positive or negative charge?

Element atoms are neutral because a proton has a positive charge (+) and an electrons has a negative charge (-), with all positive charges cancelling out all negative charges. An atom's number of protons, neutrons, and electrons vary from one to another.

2. Who came up with the name Electrons?

In 1891, G. Johnstone Stoney used the name "electrons" to represent the unit of charge discovered in experiments involving the transmission of electric current via chemicals. In this sense, J.J. Thomson's Cambridge classmate Joseph Larmor used the phrase.

3. How did the electrons come to be understood?

The electrons was discovered as a result of JJ Thomson's experiment with cathode tubes. Cathode ray tubes are just glass vacuum chambers that are sealed. Thomson used two oppositely charged electric sites around the cathode ray to prove the existence of electrons. Thomson noticed that the cathode ray was redirected towards the negatively charged electric plate. As a result, the cathode ray was effectively proven to be made up of negatively charged particles.

4. Is there a difference between protons and electrons?

In an atom, the quantities of protons and electrons are equal. Atoms are normally neutral because protons and electrons have equal and opposing charges.

5. What causes electrons to repel one another?

When we have two electrons combined electric fields result in  higher as well as higher potential energy since they get closer. In order to minimize the potential energy,they repel each other.

6. Who discovered the electron?
The electron was discovered by J.J. Thomson in 1897 through his cathode ray experiments. This discovery led to the development of the "plum pudding" model of the atom.
7. What is the significance of the Bohr model in understanding electrons?
The Bohr model, proposed by Niels Bohr in 1913, was a significant step in understanding electron behavior. It introduced the concept of quantized energy levels and explained the hydrogen spectrum, though it was later superseded by quantum mechanics.
8. What is the photoelectric effect, and how does it relate to electrons?
The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons from a material when light shines on it. This phenomenon, explained by Einstein, demonstrated the particle nature of light and the quantization of energy, contributing significantly to the development of quantum theory.
9. What is an electron cloud?
An electron cloud is a modern model representing the probability distribution of an electron's location around an atomic nucleus. It replaces the idea of fixed electron orbits with a more accurate quantum mechanical description of electron behavior.
10. How do electrons contribute to the periodic trends in elements?
The number and arrangement of electrons, especially valence electrons, determine many periodic trends such as atomic size, ionization energy, electron affinity, and electronegativity. These trends are fundamental to understanding chemical behavior across the periodic table.
11. How does the mass of an electron compare to that of a proton?
An electron has a much smaller mass than a proton. The mass of an electron is approximately 1/1836 times the mass of a proton, making it the lightest known particle with a non-zero rest mass.
12. What is the charge of an electron?
An electron carries a negative electric charge. The magnitude of this charge is considered the fundamental unit of electric charge, equal to approximately -1.602 x 10^-19 coulombs.
13. How do electrons contribute to the overall charge of an atom?
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, balancing out the positive charge of the nucleus. If an atom gains or loses electrons, it becomes an ion with a net negative or positive charge, respectively.
14. How does the concept of electron shells relate to an atom's reactivity?
Electron shells, especially the outermost shell (valence shell), determine an atom's chemical properties and reactivity. Atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, typically with a full outer shell.
15. What is the electron configuration?
Electron configuration refers to the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals. It describes how electrons are distributed in various energy levels and sublevels, following specific rules like the Aufbau principle, Hund's rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle.
16. What is an electron?
An electron is a fundamental subatomic particle with a negative electric charge. It is one of the primary components of atoms, orbiting the nucleus in electron shells or energy levels.
17. What is the difference between an orbital and an electron shell?
An electron shell is a group of orbitals with the same principal quantum number. An orbital is a region in space where an electron is likely to be found, characterized by a unique set of quantum numbers.
18. How does the wave-particle duality apply to electrons?
Wave-particle duality means that electrons exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties. This concept is fundamental to quantum mechanics and explains phenomena like electron diffraction and the uncertainty principle.
19. How do electrons move between energy levels?
Electrons can move between energy levels by absorbing or emitting specific amounts of energy, usually in the form of photons. When an electron drops to a lower energy level, it releases a photon; when it moves to a higher level, it absorbs a photon.
20. What is electron spin?
Electron spin is an intrinsic form of angular momentum carried by electrons. It's a quantum property that can have one of two values, often referred to as "spin up" or "spin down." Spin plays a crucial role in determining the magnetic properties of atoms.
21. How do electrons behave in semiconductors?
In semiconductors, electrons can be excited from the valence band to the conduction band, leaving behind "holes." This behavior, controlled by doping and external fields, is the basis for electronic devices like transistors and solar cells.
22. How do electrons contribute to the phenomenon of quantum entanglement?
Quantum entanglement can occur between electrons, where the quantum states of two or more electrons become correlated in such a way that the state of each electron cannot be described independently. This phenomenon is fundamental to quantum information science and technology.
23. What is the significance of electron spin in quantum dots?
In quantum dots, electron spins can be isolated and manipulated, making them potential candidates for qubits in quantum computing. The behavior of electron spins in these confined systems provides insights into quantum mechanics and offers possibilities for advanced electronic and photonic devices.
24. How does the Pauli exclusion principle relate to electrons?
The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of quantum numbers. This principle explains why electrons occupy different orbitals and is fundamental to understanding electron configuration and chemical bonding.
25. What is the relationship between electrons and chemical bonding?
Electrons, particularly valence electrons, are responsible for chemical bonding. They can be shared (covalent bonds), transferred (ionic bonds), or delocalized (metallic bonds) between atoms to form chemical compounds.
26. How do electrons contribute to electrical conductivity?
In materials like metals, some electrons are free to move throughout the material. These "free electrons" can carry electric current when a voltage is applied, making the material electrically conductive.
27. How do electrons behave in a magnetic field?
In a magnetic field, electrons experience a force perpendicular to both their direction of motion and the magnetic field lines. This behavior is the basis for many electromagnetic devices and explains phenomena like the Hall effect.
28. How does the uncertainty principle apply to electrons?
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that we cannot simultaneously know both the exact position and momentum of an electron. This fundamental limit of precision is inherent to quantum systems and shapes our understanding of electron behavior in atoms.
29. What are valence electrons, and why are they important?
Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom. They are crucial in determining an atom's chemical properties and behavior in chemical reactions, as they are the electrons involved in bonding with other atoms.
30. What is electron shielding?
Electron shielding, or screening, occurs when inner electrons partially shield outer electrons from the full attractive force of the nucleus. This effect influences atomic size and ionization energy trends across the periodic table.
31. How do electrons behave in excited states?
In excited states, electrons occupy higher energy levels than their ground state. These states are unstable, and electrons quickly return to lower energy levels, often emitting photons in the process. This behavior is the basis for phenomena like atomic spectra and fluorescence.
32. What is the role of electrons in chemical reactions?
Electrons play a central role in chemical reactions by participating in the breaking and forming of chemical bonds. The transfer or sharing of electrons between atoms leads to changes in the electronic structure, resulting in new chemical compounds.
33. How do electrons contribute to the stability of atoms?
Electrons contribute to atomic stability by balancing the positive charge of the nucleus and occupying energy levels in a way that minimizes the overall energy of the atom. The most stable configurations often have completely filled or half-filled subshells.
34. What is electron affinity?
Electron affinity is the energy change that occurs when an atom in the gas phase gains an electron. It's a measure of how readily an atom accepts an additional electron, which is important in understanding chemical bonding and reactivity.
35. How do electrons behave in molecules compared to isolated atoms?
In molecules, electrons are involved in bonding between atoms. They can be shared (in covalent bonds) or transferred (in ionic bonds), leading to molecular orbitals that extend over multiple atoms, influencing the molecule's shape and properties.
36. What is the significance of the Aufbau principle in electron configuration?
The Aufbau principle guides the filling of electron orbitals in multi-electron atoms. It states that electrons occupy orbitals of lowest energy first, helping to predict and explain electron configurations across the periodic table.
37. How do electrons contribute to the color of materials?
The color of materials often results from electrons absorbing specific wavelengths of light and transitioning between energy levels. When they return to lower energy states, they may emit light of different wavelengths, producing observed colors.
38. What is electron correlation?
Electron correlation refers to the interaction between electrons in a multi-electron system. It's a complex quantum mechanical effect that influences the energy and behavior of electrons, particularly important in understanding the electronic structure of atoms and molecules.
39. What is the relationship between electrons and spectroscopy?
Spectroscopy techniques rely on the interaction between electrons and electromagnetic radiation. When electrons transition between energy levels, they absorb or emit specific wavelengths of light, producing characteristic spectra that can be used to identify elements and analyze molecular structures.
40. How do electrons contribute to chemical bonding in transition metal complexes?
In transition metal complexes, electrons from the d-orbitals of the metal can interact with ligand orbitals, forming complex bonding arrangements. This interaction leads to unique properties like color, magnetism, and catalytic activity in these compounds.
41. What is the role of electrons in redox reactions?
In redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions, electrons are transferred between species. The species losing electrons is oxidized, while the one gaining electrons is reduced. This electron transfer is fundamental to many biological and industrial processes.
42. How do electrons behave in superconductors?
In superconductors, electrons form Cooper pairs at very low temperatures. These pairs can move through the material without resistance, leading to the phenomenon of superconductivity, which has important applications in technology and research.
43. What is the significance of the electron's gyromagnetic ratio?
The gyromagnetic ratio of an electron relates its magnetic moment to its angular momentum. This property is crucial in understanding electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and the behavior of electrons in magnetic fields.
44. How do electrons contribute to the strength of chemical bonds?
The strength of chemical bonds depends on the extent of electron sharing or transfer between atoms. Factors like orbital overlap, electronegativity differences, and the number of electrons involved all contribute to bond strength.
45. What is electron delocalization, and why is it important?
Electron delocalization occurs when electrons are spread out over several atoms or an entire molecule, rather than being confined to a single bond. This phenomenon is crucial in understanding aromaticity, conductivity in metals, and the stability of certain molecules.
46. How do electrons behave in plasma?
In plasma, the fourth state of matter, electrons are separated from atoms, creating a mixture of charged particles. These free electrons give plasma unique properties, such as high electrical conductivity and responsiveness to electromagnetic fields.
47. What is the role of electrons in quantum computing?
In quantum computing, the quantum states of electrons, such as spin, can be used to represent quantum bits or qubits. The ability to manipulate and entangle these electron states is crucial for performing quantum computations.
48. How do electrons contribute to the phenomenon of phosphorescence?
Phosphorescence involves electrons transitioning to a metastable excited state through intersystem crossing. These electrons then slowly return to the ground state, emitting light over an extended period, unlike the rapid emission in fluorescence.
49. What is the significance of electron tunneling?
Electron tunneling is a quantum mechanical phenomenon where electrons can pass through a potential barrier that they classically shouldn't be able to overcome. This effect is crucial in various technologies, including scanning tunneling microscopy and some types of electronic devices.
50. How do electrons behave in graphene and other 2D materials?
In 2D materials like graphene, electrons can behave as if they have no mass, moving at very high speeds. This unique behavior leads to exceptional electrical and thermal properties, making these materials interesting for various applications in electronics and materials science.
51. What is the role of electrons in chemical catalysis?
In catalysis, electrons play a crucial role in facilitating chemical reactions. Catalysts often work by changing the electronic structure of reactants, lowering activation energies, or providing alternative reaction pathways that involve electron transfer or sharing.
52. What is the significance of electron spin in spintronics?
Spintronics, or spin electronics, utilizes the spin of electrons in addition to their charge. This field explores how electron spin can be manipulated and used for information processing and storage, potentially leading to more efficient and powerful electronic devices.
53. How do electrons behave in Bose-Einstein condensates?
While Bose-Einstein condensates are typically formed with bosons, fermions like electrons can also form analogous states under certain conditions. In these states, electrons can exhibit collective quantum behavior, providing insights into fundamental physics.
54. What is the role of electrons in thermoelectric materials?
In thermoelectric materials, electrons play a key role in converting temperature differences directly into electricity (Seebeck effect) or using electricity to create a temperature difference (Peltier effect). The behavior of electrons in these materials is crucial for developing efficient thermoelectric devices.
55. How do electrons contribute to the field of plasmonics?
Plasmonics involves the interaction between electromagnetic fields and electrons at metallic interfaces or in small metallic nanostructures. The collective oscillations of electrons, known as plasmons, can be manipulated to control light at the nanoscale, leading to applications in sensing, imaging, and information processing.

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Questions related to

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Question : Who first introduced the idea of a relationship between molecular geometry and the number of valence electrons in the 1940s?

Option 1: Bent and Nyholm

Option 2: Hendricus and Nicol

Option 3: Sidgwick and Powell

Option 4: Heitler and Gillespie

Correct Answer: Sidgwick and Powell


Solution : The correct option is Sidgwick and Powell.

In 1940, Herbert Powell and Nevil Sidgwick proposed the notion that molecule shape and the number of valence electrons were correlated. They claimed that the number of valence electron pairs surrounding the core atom determines the shape of a molecule.

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Question : Which of the following is the maximum number of electrons that can be present in M-shell?

Option 1: 2

Option 2: 8

Option 3: 18

Option 4: 32

Correct Answer: 18


Solution : The correct answer is 18.

A precise circular path known as the shell is followed by electrons as they orbit the nucleus. The shells are either designated alphabetically with letters beginning with K (K, L, M, etc.) or according to the primary quantum numbers (n = 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). Only a certain number of electrons can fit inside each shell. According to the formula, the nth shell has a theoretical maximum capacity of 2n² electrons. Based on this formula, the M shell can hold a maximum of 18 electrons.

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Team Careers360 22 January,2024

Question : Which of the following statements is not correct regarding the alkali metals?

Option 1: All the alkali metals are silvery white, soft and light metals.

Option 2: The ionisation enthalpies of the alkali metals are considerably low and decrease down the group.

Option 3: Group 1 metals are known as alkali metals.

Option 4: All the alkali metals have two valence electrons.

Correct Answer: All the alkali metals have two valence electrons.


Solution : The incorrect statement is All the alkali metals have two valence electrons.

Group 1 of the periodic table comprises all alkali metals, which have a single valence electron. Electrons in the atom's outermost orbit are known as valence electrons. Group 1 of the periodic table contains the alkali metals hydrogen (H), lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), caesium (Cs), rubidium (Rb), and francium (Fr).

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Team Careers360 23 January,2024

Question : Which German chemist and physicist proposed that an aromatic compound must have an odd number of pairs of electrons, Which can mathematically be written as 4n+2 (n=0,1,2,3, etc.) in 1931?

Option 1: Friedrich Kekule

Option 2: Rosalind Franklin

Option 3: Erich Huckel

Option 4: Antoine Lavoisier

Correct Answer: Erich Huckel


Solution : The correct option is Erich Huckel.

German scientist and physicist Erich Huckel put up a theory in 1931 to assist in identifying whether an aromatic property would be present in a planar ring molecule. According to his rule, an aromatic, cyclic, planar molecule possesses 4n+2 electrons. Hückel's Rule is the name given to this principle.

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Team Careers360 19 January,2024

Question : Electrons move around the nucleus in ________ motion.

Option 1: Translatory

Option 2: Spin

Option 3: Orbital

Option 4: Vibrational

Correct Answer: Orbital


Solution : The correct option is Orbital.

The orbital motion describes electrons moving around the nucleus. Electrons orbit the nucleus at different energy levels called orbitals. These orbitals are specified areas of space in which an electron is likely to be discovered. Atomic electrons do not rotate around the nucleus; instead, they are constantly in motion and fluctuating in energy.

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Team Careers360 25 January,2024
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