The word "electron" is spelled with the letter combination "e-l-e-c-t-r-o-n". The phonetic transcription of this word in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is /ɪˈlɛktrɒn/. The first syllable, "e-lec", is pronounced with a short "i" sound, while the second syllable, "-tron", is pronounced with a short "o" sound. The emphasis is on the first syllable, "e-", which is why it is pronounced with a higher pitch than the other syllables. This word refers to a subatomic particle that carries a negative charge.
Electron:
An electron is a subatomic particle that carries a negative electric charge. It is one of the fundamental particles that make up an atom. Electrons are considered elementary, meaning they have no known substructure. They are classified as leptons, a type of elementary particle characterized by their small mass and lack of internal structure.
Electrons are found outside the atomic nucleus, surrounding it in regions called electron shells or energy levels. These shells are organized in increasing energy levels, with the innermost shell having the lowest energy. Each shell has a maximum number of electrons it can hold, following the 2n^2 rule, where n represents the shell number.
Electrons are fundamental to understanding the behavior of matter and the properties of atoms. They play a crucial role in chemical bonding, determining the chemical reactivity and physical properties of substances.
Electrons possess dual characteristics of matter and waves, exhibiting wave-particle duality. They can be described both by their particle-like properties, such as mass and charge, as well as by wave-like properties, such as wavelength and frequency. This complex behavior is the foundation of quantum mechanics, a branch of physics that studies microscopic particles and their interactions.
Furthermore, electrons are involved in electrical conduction, providing the basis for the flow of electric currents in conductive materials. They also play a vital role in electronics, powering devices and enabling various technological advancements.
One of the negatively electrified corpuscles or particles of ether adherent to, or contained in, and constituting in their aggregation the atom; in size they are estimated to be 1/2000 that of the hydrogen atom.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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The word "electron" comes from the Greek word "ēlektron", which means "amber". The ancient Greeks, particularly Thales of Miletus in the 6th century BCE, discovered that when amber is rubbed with certain materials like fur, it acquires the ability to attract lightweight objects like feathers. This phenomenon, known as static electricity, was attributed to a mysterious force or substance, which the Greeks referred to as "ēlektron". The word "ēlektron" was later adopted in French as "électron", and ultimately made its way into English as "electron" in the late 19th century.