The Atomicity of Electricity

Faraday’s laws tell us that 96,500 x 103 coulomb of electricity deposit one kg. mole of a substances. Also of one kg. mole of a substance deposits 6.0254 x 1026 molecules (Avogadro’s number). Therefore, during electrolysis, each ion transports on the average a charge, e, given by
        e = 96.500 x 103 /6.0254 x 1026 coulomb/atom = 1.602 x 10-19 coulomb /atom

Experiments on electrolysis show that ions in electrolytes always carry charges that are integral multiplies of the above value. It is reasonable, therefore, to assume that the above value of charge is the basic elementary unit of charge. The unit charge is the charge of the electron.


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