Principle of Conservation of Charge

The principle of conservation of charge states that the total electric charge in an isolated system remains constant. Charge can neither be created nor destroyed, but it can be transferred from one body to another.

Mathematical Expression:

If q1,q2,q3,…q_1, q_2, q_3, \dots are the charges of different bodies in a system, then:

qinitial=qfinalq_{\text{initial}} = q_{\text{final}}

Key Points:

1. Charge Transfer: Charge can move between objects, but the total charge remains unchanged.
2. Pair Production & Annihilation: In processes like pair production (γ→e−+e+\gamma \rightarrow e^- + e^+) and annihilation (e−+e+→γe^- + e^+ \rightarrow \gamma), charge is conserved.
3. Nuclear and Chemical Reactions: Even in nuclear reactions or chemical processes, the net charge before and after remains the same.

This is a fundamental law in electromagnetism and applies universally.