Question
Explain : "Electric charges are additive in nature."
✓
Answer
→ If a system contains two point charges $q_1$ and $q_2$, the total charge of the system is obtained simply by adding them algebraically. i.e., total charge of the system is $q_1+q_2$.
→ If a system contains n charges $q_1, q_2, q_3, \ldots, q_n$, then the total charge of the system is $q_1+q_2+$ $q_3+\ldots+q_n$
→ Charge has magnitude but no direction, similar to mass. However, there is one difference between mass and charge. Mass of a body is always positive whereas a charge can be either positive or negative. Proper signs have to be used while adding the charges in a system.
→ For example, the total charge of a system containing five charges $+1,+2,-3,+4$ and -5 , in some arbitrary unit, is $(+1)+(+2)+(-3)+$ $(+4)+(-5)=-1$.
→ Thus, the total electric charge of any system is equal to the algebraic sum of the positive and negative electric charge at different points within the system.
→ If a system contains n charges $q_1, q_2, q_3, \ldots, q_n$, then the total charge of the system is $q_1+q_2+$ $q_3+\ldots+q_n$
→ Charge has magnitude but no direction, similar to mass. However, there is one difference between mass and charge. Mass of a body is always positive whereas a charge can be either positive or negative. Proper signs have to be used while adding the charges in a system.
→ For example, the total charge of a system containing five charges $+1,+2,-3,+4$ and -5 , in some arbitrary unit, is $(+1)+(+2)+(-3)+$ $(+4)+(-5)=-1$.
→ Thus, the total electric charge of any system is equal to the algebraic sum of the positive and negative electric charge at different points within the system.
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