⚡ Ever wondered how much electricity is actually moving through a circuit? That’s electric charge — and it’s easier to calculate than you might think!
Electric charge is one of the most basic and important concepts in electricity and physics. It helps explain how current flows, how batteries work, and how electronic devices use energy.
Let’s walk through what electric charge is and how you can calculate it using a simple formula.
Table of Contents
🙋 What Is Electric Charge?
Electric charge is a measure of the amount of electricity (or electric current) that flows in a circuit over a period of time.
It tells you how much charge has passed through a point in the circuit — like water flowing through a pipe.
Charge is measured in coulombs (C).
🧮 Formula to Calculate Electric Charge
To calculate electric charge, use this formula:
Q = I × tWhere:
- Q = charge in coulombs (C)
- I = current in amperes (A)
- t = time in seconds (s)
This formula comes from rearranging the definition of current:
Current = Charge ÷ Time → therefore, Charge = Current × Time
Use the calculator below to calculate Charge
⚙️ Electric Charge Calculator
📋 Example
Let’s say you have a current of 3 amperes flowing for 5 seconds:
Q = I × t = 3 A × 5 s = 15 C✅ The electric charge that flowed is 15 coulombs
🔋 Real-Life Applications
You use the concept of electric charge in:
- Battery charging
- Capacitor storage
- Power systems
- Physics experiments
- Electric circuits and sensors
💡 Quick Tips
- The unit of electric charge is coulomb (C)
- 1 coulomb = the charge carried by about 6.24 × 1018 electrons
- A small current over a long time = a large amount of charge
- Always use time in seconds when using the Q = I × t formula