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I am not a expert on physics, just another high schooler, so sorry if the question is obvious.

This is something I've been wondering about for a while. Why is the charge on a proton equal but opposite to the charge on the electron? A proton is much larger than a electron, and apparently a lot more heavier too. Why, then, is it's charge equal to that on a electron? Just what is charge, and what defines it? What factors decide the charge on a particle?

Also while we're at it, why does the atom in it's default configuration have the same number of protons and electrons? Edit: To expand on this a bit, from what I know the attraction weakens as distance increases. So if theoretically a huge amount of protons were to be somehow brought together despite the repulsions constantly increasing, would a atom with a extremely high atomic number defy the proton = electron rule?

Note: This is not a duplicate. I read through the Phys.SE post Why do electron and proton have the same but opposite electric charge? but I did not find a satisfactory answer (Or even understand many of the professional terms :s)

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Aayush Agrawal
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Because we all exist!Because this question can be typed without extreme strains!

Suppose on the other hand they were not equal and differed say even by a part in a billion.Then our body which approximately has $\approx 10^{28}$ atoms.Even considering the feeble charges on individual electrons and protons($e=1.6 \times 10^{-19} C$),a difference in one part in a billion will cause our body to have a charge of magnitude of $\approx e \times 10^{28} \times 10^{-9}=1 C$.That's a lot of charge.

Lets try to calculate the force between two such "charged" objects placed at a distance og $1$ metre.Using Coulomb’s law we get,

$$F=\frac{kq^2}{r^2}\approx 10^9 N$$

That's too big a force.The forces we deal with in everyday life are generally order of a $N$ or a $kN$.Since we don't feel any such force the only conclusion can be they are exactly equal.

So to make a long answer short:It is an experimental fact.

Sandesh Kalantre
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