A stable subatomic particle with a negative electric charge.The electron is a fundamental particle that carries a negative electric charge. It is one of the building blocks of atoms, orbiting the nucleus and determining how atoms interact with each other to form molecules and materials. Its behavior is governed by quantum mechanics, meaning it exhibits both particle-like and wave-like properties.
The electron was discovered by J.J. Thomson in 1897 through experiments with cathode rays, which showed that these rays were made of negatively charged particles much lighter than atoms. The name 'electron' was proposed by George Johnstone Stoney in 1891.
Electrons are quantum objects, so their position and momentum are not definite but described by a probability wavefunction. They occupy discrete energy levels in atoms, and transitions between these levels involve absorbing or emitting photons. In solids, electrons move through the lattice, giving rise to electrical conductivity, magnetism, and other collective phenomena.
Electrons are the workhorses of modern technology: they carry current in wires, are manipulated in semiconductors to build transistors, and are used in electron microscopes to image tiny structures.
Electrons are considered point particles with no internal structure, yet they have a property called 'spin' that makes them behave like tiny magnets, and this spin is essential for magnetic storage in hard drives.
