Charge Quantization
1. **Problem Statement:** We want to find out how many electrons are in a charge of $3.2 \times 10^{-18}$ coulombs (C).
2. **Understanding the Concept:** Charge is quantized, meaning it comes in whole number multiples of the elementary charge $e$, which is the charge of one electron. The elementary charge is $e = 1.6 \times 10^{-19}$ C.
3. **Formula:** The total charge $Q$ is given by:
$$ Q = n e $$
where $n$ is the number of electrons.
4. **Rearranging the Formula:** To find $n$, divide the total charge $Q$ by the elementary charge $e$:
$$ n = \frac{Q}{e} $$
5. **Substitute the Values:**
$$ n = \frac{3.2 \times 10^{-18}}{1.6 \times 10^{-19}} $$
6. **Calculate:**
Divide the numbers:
$$ \frac{3.2}{1.6} = 2 $$
Divide the powers of ten:
$$ 10^{-18} \div 10^{-19} = 10^{(-18 + 19)} = 10^{1} = 10 $$
Multiply these results:
$$ n = 2 \times 10 = 20 $$
7. **Answer:** There are 20 electrons in a charge of $3.2 \times 10^{-18}$ C.
This means the charge is made up of 20 individual electrons, each contributing $1.6 \times 10^{-19}$ C.