Gauss's Law Explains Electric Flux and Enclosed Charge

Chapter 22: Gausss Law
Physics 72
Rafael B. Jaculbia
22.1: Charge and Electric Flux
22.1: Charge and Electric Flux

Chapter 21:
We can solve the electric field at a point P
produced by a charge distribution
Chapter 22:
If the electric field pattern is known in a given
region, what can we determine in its charge
distribution?
Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Lecturer: Rafael Jaculbia
Imaginary surface
May or may not enclose charges

Has no effect on the electric field
Closed surface
How do we determine the amount of
charge inside?

Measure the charge

Charge distribution Electric field
exerts force on a test charge
q0
Test charge q0
Measure the force experienced by q0 at

different positions around the box and use:
E = F/q0
Measure the charge

E
E
+q
+q
Test charge q0
E
E

Measure the charge

We only need to measure the electric field
on the surface of the box
E
E
+q

-q
Electric Flux
The flow of the electric field through the
surface of the box
Either inward or outward
Inward (outward) electric flux for negative
(positive) charges
What if there is zero net charge inside the
box?
Electric Flux and charge enclosed
No charge inside
No electric flux inward or outward
No electric field

Electric flux and charge enclosed

E
+q
-q
net charge inside = 0

electric flux is inward at half and outward
at the other half of the box
Net electric field = 0
10

+
No charge inside
Charge is present outside the box
Electric field points into the box on one
end and out of the box in the other end
11

E
E
+q
+2q
If we double the magnitude of the charge, the

net electric field is also doubled
The net electric flux through the surface of the
box is proportional to the magnitude of the net
charge enclosed
12
+q
+q
If linear dimension of the box is doubled

for each face, the average magnitude of E is the
average magnitude of smaller box (inverse square
law).
But the area of each face for the large box is 4x the
area of the corresponding face for the small box.
13
Electric Flux and Charge enclosed

The outward electric flux is the same for
the two boxes if:
We define Electric flux as the product of the
average perpendicular component of E and
the area of that face and add the results for all
faces of that box
For an enclosed point charge, the net flux

Depends on the net charge enclosed
Independent of the size of the box.
14
22.2 Calculating Electric Flux
Fluid Flow analogy

Use the analogy: Fluid flow and electric
field
Electric field is NOT a flow, this is just an
analogy
Electric field E and velocity vectors in a
flowing liquid

16
Fluid Flow analogy

Volume flow rate
(dV/dt) through the wire
Wire is perpendicular to
the flow velocity:
dV
= vA
dt

17
Fluid Flow analogy

Wire is tilted by and
angle
The volume flow rate

through A is:
dV
= vA cos
dt

18
Fluid Flow analogy

If = 90o, dV/dt = 0
v cos() is the component of the velocity vector
perpendicular to the area A. Call this v:
dV
= v A
dt

19
Fluid Flow analogy

Introduce the concept of vector area A
Has both magnitude and direction
perpendicular to the area we are
describing.
In terms of the vector area, dV/dt
becomes:
dV r r
=vA
dt
20
Fluid flow analogy

Electric field flow through an area
Replace v E
Electric flux E through an area A:

E = EA

21
Electric Flux
If area is tilted, the area that counts is

A = A cos()
E = EA cos()
22
Electric Flux
E cos() is the component of the electric
field perpendicular to the area
E = E A
In terms of the vector area, which is
perpendicular to the area of interest
E = EA
Electric flux for uniform electric field, flat
surface
23
Electric Flux
SI unit of electric flux: 1 Nm2/C
Define the unit vector n which points
perpendicular tor the area, then ,
A = An
A surface has two sides, so we choose the
direction of n to be outward of the closed
surface.
Outward Electric flux positive E
Inward Electric flux negative E
24
Electric Flux
If the electric field varies from point to
point or the area is curved
Divide the area A into small elements dA
each has unit vector n and vector area
r
dA = ndA
So the electric flux is:
r r
E = E cos dA = E dA = E dA
25
Example: Electric flux through a

disk
r
E = 2.0 x103 N / C
a)
b)
c)
What is the electric flux through the disk?

What is the electric flux if the disk is turned so that it is
perpendicular to E?
What is the flux though the disk if its normal is parallel to
E?

26
Flux through a closed surface

27
Flux through a cube

28
Example: Electric flux through a

sphere
Point charge with q = 3.0C surrounded by a

sphere of radius 0.20m. Find the electric flux
through a the sphere due to the charge.
29
22.3 Gausss Law
Gausss Law
Formulated by Carl Friedrich Gauss
(1777-1855)
An alternative to Coulombs law
Relationship between the charge and the
electric field

31
Electric flux due to a point charge

r r
E = E A
r
dA
r
E
r
E = E 4R 2
q
2
E =
4
R
2
4
R
E =
Flux is independent of the size of the sphere!

32
Inside a nonspherical surface
Flux through dA
33

Total flux is the sum of the flux from all the
surface element dA
Each of dA projects to a corresponding
area element of the sphere, hence the
total flux through the irregular surface is
the same as that of the sphere:
r r q
E = E dA =

34

r r q
E = E dA =
Holds true for any closed surface

enclosing q
dA and the corresponding unit vectors
point out of the surface
Outward Electric field (+) E and E
Inward Electric field (-) E and E
If more than one charge is inside?
35
No Charge enclosed
r r
E = E dA = 0

When there is no
enclosed charge,
electric flux is zero
Charges outside the
surface has no net
effect on the flux
through that surface
36
Gausss Law
Now we have the general statement of
Gausss Law:
r r Qencl
E = E dA =
We can also write Gausss law as:
r r Qencl
E = E cos dA = E dA = E dA =

37
Gausss Law
The closed surface is imaginary
There need not be any material object at the
position of the surface
The closed surface is called Gaussian

surface

38
Gausss Law
Electric field
points out of the
Gaussian surface
At every point at
the surface, E is
in the same
direction as dA,
=0

39
Gausss Law
Electric field
points into the
Gaussian surface
At every point at
the surface, E is
in the opposite
direction as dA,
=180o

40
Electric Flux and enclosed charge

41
22.4 Applications of Gausss

Law
Gausss Law
Valid for any charged distributions and any
closed surface.
Charge distribution Electric field or vice
versa
Symmetry is important!!!

43
Field of a uniformly charged sphere

44
Field of an infinite plane sheet of

charge

45
Field of an infinite plane sheet of

charge
Planar symmetry
Charge distribution does not change if we
slide it in any direction parallel to the sheet
Electric field is always perpendicular to the
sheet
Field must have the same magnitude on the
same distance on both sides of the sheets
We use as surface a cylinder with its axis
perpendicular to charge, with ends of area A
46
Field of a line charge

47
Field of a line charge

Cylindrical symmetry
we can rotate the system through any
angle about its axis, and we can shift it by
any amount along the axis
E is radial and lie in planes perpendicular
to the wire, field magnitude depend only
on the distance from the wire
Gaussian surface a cylinder with arbitrary
radius r and arbitrary length I, with its ends
perpendicular to the wire.
48
Quiz
An infinitely long cylindrical conductor has
radius R and uniform surface charge
density .
a. In terms of and R, what is the charge per
unit length for the cylinder?
b. In terms of , what is the magnitude of the
electric field produced by the charged
cylinder at a distance r > R from its axis?
c. Express the result of part (b) in terms of .
49
22.5. Charges on Conductors
Charges on Conductors
Conductor in a uniform field
Eo
Charges will rearrange
Induced charges produces
an electric field E1 which
cancels out the original field

51
Charges on Conductors
In electrostatics,
the electric field at
the center of the
conductor is zero.
Any excess
charges placed on
the conductor lies
on the surface

52
Field of a charged conducting

sphere

53
Charges on conductors
What if there is a cavity
inside the conductor?
Use arbitrary Gaussian
surface A
Since the electric field
inside the conductor = 0,
the electric field at
Gaussian surface is 0 so,
the net charge on the
surface of the cavity is 0
54
Charges on conductors
Place a charge q inside
the cavity
Conductor is insulated
from the charge q.
From Gausss Law, total
charge enclosed must be
zero, so there must be
negative charges
attracted to q.
So there will charges with
total charge q on the
surface of the cavity
55
Conductor with a cavity

56
Summary
Gauss law relates the flux through a
closed surface to the enclosed charge
Gauss law is always valid but not always
useful
Charge distribution must have symmetry
(planar, spherical, cylindrical)
Excess charges placed on a conductor lie

entirely on its surface
Probset Due tomorrow: 10-17
57

Gauss's Law Explains Electric Flux and Enclosed Charge

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Gauss's Law Explains Electric Flux and Enclosed Charge

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Chapter 22: Gausss Law

22.1: Charge and Electric Flux

22.1: Charge and Electric Flux

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

May or may not enclose charges

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Measure the charge

Measure the force experienced by q0 at

Measure the charge

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Measure the charge

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Electric Flux and charge enclosed

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Electric flux and charge enclosed

net charge inside = 0

Electric flux and charge enclosed

Electric flux and charge enclosed

If we double the magnitude of the charge, the

If linear dimension of the box is doubled

Electric Flux and Charge enclosed

For an enclosed point charge, the net flux

22.2 Calculating Electric Flux

Fluid Flow analogy

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Fluid Flow analogy

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Fluid Flow analogy

The volume flow rate

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Fluid Flow analogy

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Fluid Flow analogy

Fluid flow analogy

Electric flux E through an area A:

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

If area is tilted, the area that counts is

So the electric flux is:

Example: Electric flux through a

What is the electric flux through the disk?

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Flux through a closed surface

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Flux through a cube

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Example: Electric flux through a

Point charge with q = 3.0C surrounded by a

22.3 Gausss Law

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Electric flux due to a point charge

Flux is independent of the size of the sphere!

Inside a nonspherical surface

Inside a nonspherical surface

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Inside a nonspherical surface

Holds true for any closed surface

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

We can also write Gausss law as:

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

The closed surface is called Gaussian

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law

Physics 72 Chapter 22: Gauss's Law