Basic Properties of Electric Charge
As charges are of two types, positive and negative, there are other certain basic properties they follow. If the size of charged bodies is so small, we consider them as point charges. The basic properties of electric charges are as follows:
	
	
Charges are additive in nature
	
	
	
Charge is a conserved quantity
	
	
	
Quantization of charge
	 
	
Charges are additive in nature
 
Image 3: Adding charges in a system
Charges are additive in nature means they’re like scalars and can be added directly. For An Exampleconsider a system which consists of two charges namely q1 and q2. Now we wish to find the total charge of the system. The total charge of the system will be the algebraic sum of q1 and q2 i.e.q1 + q2. The same thing holds for a number of charges in a system. Let's say a system contains q1,q2,q3,q4……….qn, then the net charge of the entire system will be
= q1 + q2 + q3 + q4 + ………………………..+ qn
The charge is a scalar quantity as it has only magnitude and no direction. The charge is just as other fundamental properties of the system like mass. The only difference between mass and charge is that charge is both positive and negative, while mass is always positive.
Example:
The charges of a system are +3 C, + 2 C, + 5 C and -4 C respectively. What would be the net charge of the system?
We know that net charge of a system is algebraic sum of individual charges. Let the total charge of the system be “Q”. Then
Q = 3 C + 2 C + 5C – 4C
= 6 C
Charge is a conserved quantity
Image 4: Charge is conserved
The charge is a conserved quantity which means charge can neither be created nor be destroyed but can be transferred from one body to another by certain methods like conduction and induction. As charging involves rubbing two bodies, it is actually a transfer of electrons from one body to another. We can’t create a charge in a body but eventually can transfer them to another body with some convenient methods.
In a system when charges are distributed accordingly, by the principle of conservation the net charge of the system remains constant. As an example if 5 C is the total charge of the system, then it can be redistributed as 1C, 2C and 2C or in any other possible permutation, but by conservation principle the net charge of system will always be 5 C. Although the charge carriers may be destroyed in a system but the net charge will remain conserved.
						

							
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