Law of conservation of charge

Definition

The law of conservation of charge states that the total electric charge in an isolated system remains constant regardless of any internal changes. This principle implies that charge can neither be created nor destroyed, only transferred from one part of the system to another.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The net charge of an isolated system is always conserved, even during interactions between charged particles.
2. In any physical process involving charged particles, the sum of all charges before and after the process remains equal.
3. Charge conservation applies universally to all types of interactions including chemical reactions and particle collisions.
4. The unit of electric charge is the Coulomb (C), and it is a fundamental property of matter.
5. In practical applications, the law ensures that devices like capacitors and batteries function correctly by maintaining charge balance.

Review Questions

Related terms

Electric Charge:

A fundamental property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. Measured in Coulombs (C).

Static Electricity:

An imbalance of electric charges within or on the surface of a material. It occurs when electrons are transferred from one object to another.

Electrostatic Force:

The force exerted by stationary charges on each other. Follows Coulomb's Law which states that force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between charges.