1 Answer
P
6 months ago

When two or more individual charges are present in a system, the total charge will be an algebraic sum of all individual charges and not the vector sum. Therefore, an electric charge is considered as a scalar quantity.

Thumbs Up IconUpvote Thumbs Down Icon

Similar Questions for you

The quantisation of electric charge, q = ne, applies to electric charge only, even though charge cannot exist without mass.

One simple rule to think here is that electric charge is a scalar quantity with magnitude. It has positive and negative signs, depending on the direction it is forced to move in an electric field. Mass is always positive. So when you add mass, it never cancels out or becomes zero. Also do consider t

...Read more

No, there may be some charges inside the system. The overall charge is zero because the total positive charge will cancel out the total negative charge inside. This directly follows the principle of additivity of charge, where the positive and negative charges are the algebraic sum of each other.&nb

...Read more

Even though charge cannot exist without mass, we can only have the quantisation of electric charge using the equation, q = ne. We look at the number of point charge and the electron's charge. 

One rule to think here is that electric charge is a scalar quantity. It has magnitude. It has both positive and negative signs, based on the direction it is forced to move in an electric field. Mass is always positive, on the other hand. So when you add mass, it never becomes zero. 

Taking an Exam? Selecting a College?

Get authentic answers from experts, students and alumni that you won't find anywhere else.

On Shiksha, get access to

66K
Colleges
|
1.2K
Exams
|
6.9L
Reviews
|
1.8M
Answers

Learn more about...

NCERT Notes 2025

NCERT Notes 2025

View Exam Details

Most viewed information

SummaryNews

Share Your College Life Experience

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?

Search from Shiksha's 1 lakh+ Topics

or

Ask Current Students, Alumni & our Experts

Have a question related to your career & education?

or

See what others like you are asking & answering