charged

Charged is a term used in several domains. In physics, it describes objects that carry electric charge; in law, it denotes formal accusations against a person; in everyday usage, it can refer to emotional intensity or to energy stored in devices.

Electric charge is a property of matter arising from subatomic particles. Electrons carry negative charge; protons carry positive. The basic unit of charge is the coulomb, with the elementary charge about 1.602 × 10^-19 coulombs. Like charges repel and opposite charges attract, governed by Coulomb’s law and the surrounding electric field. An object is charged if it has a net excess of protons or electrons. Charging can occur by conduction (contact with a charged body), induction (rearrangement of charges in a neutral body due to a nearby charge), or friction (triboelectric effect). The total charge in an isolated system is conserved.

In legal contexts, a charge is a formal accusation that a person committed a crime or offense. Charges are brought by prosecutors or grand juries and can lead to an arraignment or indictment. A charge is not a conviction; a defendant may plead, be found not guilty, or have charges dismissed or reduced as cases proceed. The charging decision guides subsequent proceedings and the burden of proof.

In other uses, “charged” describes situations with strong emotional or rhetorical intensity, such as a charged atmosphere. In electronics, a device is described as charged when it stores electrical energy, as in a charged battery or capacitor.