Law of conservation of Charge

 One of the most elegant rules in physics is also one of the quietest — the Law of Conservation of Electric Charge. You can't see it directly, but it’s always at play, ensuring that electric charge in the universe stays perfectly balanced.

What Is Electric Charge?

Electric charge is a fundamental property of matter. There are two types of charge:

• Positive (+): Carried by protons

• Negative (−): Carried by electrons

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Charges interact — opposites attract, and likes repel. But no matter what’s happening in a system, there’s a law they must follow:

The Law of Conservation of Charge

The total electric charge in an isolated system remains constant over time. 

In other words: 

✅ It can only be transferred from one body to another. 

✅ Charge can neither be created nor destroyed.

This principle holds true in every known physical interaction — from chemical reactions to nuclear explosions.

 Examples 

🔋 Charging Your Phone

When you plug in your phone, electrons (negative charges) move into the battery. But they’re not being created — they’re coming from the power source. The total number of charges in the system doesn’t change — it just moves.

🧪 Chemical Reactions

In electrochemical cells (like batteries), ions move to balance out charges. But again, no net charge is gained or lost — it’s just a clever reshuffling.

🌩️ Lightning

When a thundercloud builds up a massive imbalance of charges, it releases it through lightning. It looks wild and chaotic, but the total charge before and after remains the same — only redistributed.

Why It Matters

• Stable Atoms: Without conservation, atoms could randomly gain or lose protons or electrons, and matter as we know it wouldn’t exist.

• Predicting Reactions: Engineers and scientists use this law to design circuits, particle detectors, and plasma systems.

• Fundamental Physics: It's a cornerstone of Maxwell’s equations, which describe how electric and magnetic fields behave.

Conclusion

In a world full of change — motion, explosions, transformations — electric charge remains loyal to one rule: what goes in must come out. Whether it’s in your pocket-sized phone or a star going supernova, the conservation of charge keeps the universe honest and balanced.