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{{short description|Subatomic particle with negative electric charge}}
{{other uses}}

==Electron==
The '''electron''' is a [[subatomic particle]] with a negative [[electric charge]]. It is one of the fundamental constituents of matter, playing a crucial role in [[electricity]], [[magnetism]], and [[chemical bonding]]. Electrons are part of the [[lepton]] family of particles and are considered elementary particles because they are not composed of smaller particles.

[[File:Standard_Model_of_Elementary_Particles.svg|Standard Model of Elementary Particles|thumb|right]]

==History==
The concept of the electron emerged from studies of [[electricity]] in the 19th century. The term "electron" was coined by [[George Johnstone Stoney]] in 1891, but it was [[J.J. Thomson]] who is credited with the discovery of the electron in 1897 through his experiments with [[cathode rays]].

[[File:J.J_Thomson.jpg|J.J. Thomson, discoverer of the electron|thumb|left]]

==Properties==
Electrons have a [[rest mass]] of approximately 9.109 × 10<sup>−31</sup> kilograms, which is about 1/1836 of the mass of a [[proton]]. They carry a negative electric charge of approximately −1.602 × 10<sup>−19</sup> [[coulomb]]s. Electrons exhibit both [[particle]] and [[wave]] properties, a duality that is a fundamental aspect of [[quantum mechanics]].

[[File:Asymmetricwave2.png|Wave properties of electrons|thumb|right]]

==Quantum Mechanics==
In the realm of [[quantum mechanics]], electrons are described by [[wave functions]] and can exist in various [[quantum states]]. The behavior of electrons in atoms is described by [[atomic orbitals]], which are regions of space where there is a high probability of finding an electron.

[[File:Orbital_s1.png|s orbital|thumb|left]]
[[File:Atomic-orbital-clouds_spd_m0.png|Atomic orbital clouds|thumb|right]]

==Role in Atoms==
Electrons are bound to the nucleus of an atom by the [[electromagnetic force]]. They occupy [[energy levels]] or [[shells]] around the nucleus, and their arrangement determines the [[chemical properties]] of an element. The [[Bohr model]] of the atom, proposed by [[Niels Bohr]], was an early attempt to describe electron behavior in atoms.

[[File:Bohr_atom_model_(mul).svg|Bohr model of the atom|thumb|left]]

==Interactions==
Electrons interact with other particles through the [[electromagnetic force]]. They can also emit or absorb [[photons]], which are quanta of light, during transitions between energy levels. In addition, electrons can form [[virtual particles]] in the [[quantum field theory]] framework.

[[File:Virtual_pairs_near_electron.png|Virtual pairs near an electron|thumb|right]]

==Applications==
Electrons are fundamental to the operation of many modern technologies, including [[semiconductors]], [[transistors]], and [[cathode ray tubes]]. They are also essential in the study of [[electricity]] and [[magnetism]], as they are the primary charge carriers in [[conductors]].

[[File:Cyclotron_motion_wider_view.jpg|Cyclotron motion of electrons|thumb|left]]

==Lorentz Force==
The motion of electrons in a magnetic field is described by the [[Lorentz force]], which is the force experienced by a charged particle moving through a magnetic field.

[[File:Lorentz_force.svg|Lorentz force on a charged particle|thumb|right]]

==Related pages==
* [[Proton]]
* [[Neutron]]
* [[Photon]]
* [[Quantum mechanics]]
* [[Electricity]]
* [[Magnetism]]

[[Category:Subatomic particles]]
[[Category:Leptons]]
[[Category:Quantum mechanics]]

Electron - Revision history

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