The total charge of an electric dipole is (Where 'q' is the point charge on either side of the dipole and 'e' is the charge of an electron)
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Zero
An electric dipole is a pair of equal and opposite point charges, \( +q \) and \( -q \), separated by a small distance. Its total charge is the sum of the two charges:
\( q_{\mathrm{total}} = (+q) + (-q) = 0 \)
So the total charge of a dipole is zero, although its dipole moment \( p = q \times 2a \) is not; this is why a dipole still produces an electric field.
NCERT (2026-27):
Electric Dipole – “An electric dipole is a pair of equal and opposite point charges q and –q, separated by a distance 2a. … The total charge of the electric dipole is obviously zero. This does not mean that the field of the electric dipole is zero.”