Short Answer:

Electric charge is a basic property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electric or magnetic field. It is responsible for electric and magnetic effects in nature. There are two types of electric charges—positive and negative. Like charges repel each other, and unlike charges attract each other.

Electric charges are carried by subatomic particles. Protons carry positive charge, electrons carry negative charge, and neutrons have no charge. Electric charge is measured in coulombs (C) and is a conserved quantity, meaning it cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one object to another.

Detailed Explanation:

Electric charge

Electric charge is a fundamental physical quantity just like mass and length. It is one of the basic characteristics of matter that gives rise to electric and magnetic forces. Without electric charge, electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic fields would not exist. This concept is essential in understanding how electric circuits, fields, and forces work.

The presence of electric charge in a body results in an electric force. Charged particles influence each other through the electric field they produce. The electric force between two charges depends on the magnitude of the charges and the distance between them, as explained by Coulomb’s Law.

Electric charge is always associated with particles, and it is quantized. This means it always exists in multiples of a basic unit—the charge of an electron (−1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C) or a proton (+1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C). Larger objects become charged by gaining or losing many electrons.

Types of electric charge

There are two main types of electric charge:

1. Positive Charge:
   A positive charge is carried by protons, which are found in the nucleus of atoms. When an object loses electrons, it becomes positively charged.
2. Negative Charge:
   A negative charge is carried by electrons, which orbit the nucleus. When an object gains extra electrons, it becomes negatively charged.

These charges follow a simple rule:

• Like charges repel each other
• Unlike charges attract each other

This is why positive and negative charges pull toward one another, while two positive or two negative charges push away from each other.

Properties of electric charge

1. Additivity of Charge:
   Electric charges can be added algebraically. If an object has +3C and -1C of charge, the net charge is +2C.
2. Conservation of Charge:
   Charge is never created or destroyed. The total charge in a closed system always remains the same.
3. Quantization of Charge:
   All charges are whole number multiples of the elementary charge (e = 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C). So, charge = n × e where n is any integer.
4. Interaction Between Charges:
   Charges exert electric forces on each other according to Coulomb’s Law.

Carriers of electric charge

• Electrons carry negative charge and are free to move in conductors.
• Protons carry positive charge but are fixed in the atom’s nucleus.
• Ions are atoms or molecules that have gained or lost electrons and thus carry net charge.
• Neutrons have no charge and do not participate in electrical interactions.

Importance of understanding charge

Understanding electric charge helps explain many daily phenomena:

• Static electricity (like rubbing a balloon on hair)
• Lightning (caused by charge imbalance in clouds)
• Working of batteries, electric circuits, motors, and generators

It is also a core idea in physics, chemistry, and electrical engineering, as it determines how particles and fields interact.

Conclusion:

Electric charge is a basic physical property that causes matter to interact through electric and magnetic forces. It comes in two types—positive and negative—and is measured in coulombs. Charge is always conserved and quantized, and it follows the principle of attraction and repulsion. Knowing about electric charges and their behavior helps in understanding electricity, electronics, and many natural phenomena.