What property of electric charges allows them to be treated as scalars despite their ability to attract or repel?
**Charge conservation and quantization** govern rubbing processes where electrons transfer without creation. Total charge before and after remains equal, and any measured charge corresponds to n = q/e electrons, allowing counting of carriers from coulomb value. The additivity of charges means their total value is the algebraic sum of individual charges, treating them as scalars with magnitude and sign (positive or negative). The directional forces (attraction/repulsion) arise from field interactions, not the charge itself. Substituting values gives Additivity, which matches expected magnitude
Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Electric Charges and Fields > Electric Charge, Quantization and Conservation
