What does the conservation of charge state about the net charge of an isolated system?

What does the conservation of charge state about the net charge of an isolated system?

• A. The net charge can change when energy is added.
• B. The net charge decreases over time.
• C. The net charge remains constant.
• D. The net charge becomes zero as the system evolves.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that electric charge is conserved. In an isolated system, no charge can enter or leave. Charges can move around, rearrange, or interact inside the system, but the total amount of charge stays the same. So if the system starts with a net charge Q, it will always have net charge Q no matter what internal changes occur. This is why the net charge remains constant. The other statements imply either adding or removing charge, or forcing the net charge to a specific value like zero, which cannot happen in an isolated system. Energy can be put in or work can be done to move charges, but that doesn’t change the total net charge. If you started neutral, you’d stay neutral (net charge zero); if you started with some charge, you’d keep that same amount.

The main idea here is that electric charge is conserved. In an isolated system, no charge can enter or leave. Charges can move around, rearrange, or interact inside the system, but the total amount of charge stays the same. So if the system starts with a net charge Q, it will always have net charge Q no matter what internal changes occur. This is why the net charge remains constant.

The other statements imply either adding or removing charge, or forcing the net charge to a specific value like zero, which cannot happen in an isolated system. Energy can be put in or work can be done to move charges, but that doesn’t change the total net charge. If you started neutral, you’d stay neutral (net charge zero); if you started with some charge, you’d keep that same amount.