Electron in LaTeX (e^{-})

Where it is used

Symbol for the electron, a lowercase e with a negative charge superscript, used in redox half-reactions.

Half-equations balance charge with electrons, as in \text{Cu}^{2+} + 2e^{-} \to \text{Cu}. The positron is e^{+}. Physics style guides often set particle symbols upright, \mathrm{e}^{-}, which also avoids confusion with Euler's number when exponentials appear nearby. Because e^- with a single-token superscript works, braces are optional, but they keep things consistent with multi-character charges. In nuclear notation an electron may also be written {}^{\phantom{-}0}_{-1}e or as \beta^{-} when emitted in decay. The antineutrino in beta decay is written \bar{\nu}_e alongside it.

Minimal compilable example

Paste this into an empty .tex file and compile it with pdfLaTeX, XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\begin{document}
Electron: $e^{-}$

\[ \text{Cu}^{2+} + 2e^{-} \to \text{Cu} \]
\end{document}

Related symbols

• Aqueous\text{(aq)}
• Partial Charge\delta^{+}
• Solid\text{(s)}
• Triple Bond\text{C}\equiv\text{C}
• Liquid\text{(l)}
• Double Bond\text{C}=\text{C}

Frequently asked questions

How do I write Electron in LaTeX?

Type e^{-} in math mode, for example $\text{Cu}^{2+} + 2e^{-} \to \text{Cu}$. It works in plain LaTeX without loading any package.

Which package do I need for e^{-}?

None. e^{-} is part of standard LaTeX, so it compiles with nothing in the preamble but the document class.

Can I use e^{-} in text mode, or only in math mode?

Only in math mode. Outside $...$ LaTeX stops with "Missing $ inserted", so write $e^{-}$ in running text.