What is the electrical charge of an electron?

The electrical charge of an electron is negative. This property is fundamental to the structure of atoms and the behavior of matter in general. Electrons are subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom, which is composed of protons and neutrons. While protons carry a positive charge, the negative charge of electrons balances the overall charge of an atom in its neutral state.

Understanding that electrons have a negative charge is crucial in fields such as chemistry and physics, as it helps explain the attraction and repulsion between particles, the formation of bonds, and the behavior of electric currents. This fundamental characteristic also plays an essential role in technologies that rely on electron movement, such as circuitry and electronics.

The other choices—neutral, positive, and variable—do not accurately reflect the inherent charge of an electron. A neutral charge would mean no electric force, which contradicts the recognized properties of electrons. A positive charge is associated with protons, while a variable charge is not a recognized attribute of stable subatomic particles like electrons.