# 2 Gauss’ Law

SPRING 2018
Content

• Electric Flux

• Gauss’ Law

2/13/2018 PHY 108 2

Electric Flux
• The word ‘flux’ comes from the Latin word meaning “ to flow”.

Electric Flux Φ𝐸 = 𝐸𝐴

Electric flux is proportional to the number of electric field lines penetrating

some surface. Its unit is N-m2/C.

FOR SURFACE NOT PERPENDICULAR TO THE ELECTRIC FIELD:

Φ𝐸 = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃

Where  is the angle between electric field and perpendicular to the surface.

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Electric Flux
The value of 𝜱𝑬 depends both on the field pattern and the surface.

Φ𝐸 = 𝐸. ∆𝐴

In general form, electric flux

Φ𝐸 = 𝐸. 𝑑 𝐴

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Electric Flux : Closed Surface
Gaussian surface can be considered as an imaginary three dimensional closed surface.

Φ𝐸 = 𝐸. 𝑑 𝐴

Φ𝐸 = 𝐸𝑛 𝑑𝐴

Where, 𝑬𝒏 is the component of electric field

perpendicular to the surface.

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Electric Flux : Closed Surface (contd.)

 At (1), the field lines are crossing the surface from the inside to the outside;  < 90o, Φ𝐸 is positive

 At (2), the field lines graze surface;  = 90o, Φ𝐸 = 0

 At (3), the field lines are crossing the surface from the outside to the inside;180o >  > 90o, Φ𝐸 is
negative

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Electric Flux through a Cube
For all sides, except side 1 and 2, electric flux is zero since 𝑬 is perpendicular to 𝒅𝑨. The net flux through sides 1 and 2
will be the total flux through the cube.

𝜙𝐸 = 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴 + 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴
1 2

For side 1:

𝐸. 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸 𝑐𝑜𝑠180 𝑑𝐴 = −𝐸 𝑑𝐴 = −𝐸𝐴 = −𝐸𝑙2

1 1 1

For side 2:

𝐸. 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸 𝑐𝑜𝑠0 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸𝐴 = 𝐸𝑙2
2 2 2 Opposite to side 2
Net flux through the surface of the cube is zero .

What is the total electric flux through a cylinder?

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Gauss’ Law
It relates the net flux Φ𝐸 of an electric field through a closed surface to the
net charge q enclosed by the surface.
𝜀0 𝜙𝐸 = 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
𝜀0 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴 = 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴 =
𝜀0

The net charge 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 is the algebraic sum of all the enclosed
positive and negative charges; it can be equal to zero, positive,
and negative.

If 𝒒𝒆𝒏𝒄 is positive, the net flux is outward.

If 𝒒𝒆𝒏𝒄 is negative, the net flux is inward.

Example # 1

What is the electric flux through a sphere that has a radius of 1.0m and carries a charge of 1.0C at the center?

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Gauss’ Law: Check your understanding
A spherical gaussian surface surrounds a point charge q. Describe what happens to the total flux through the
surface if
(a) the charge is tripled
(b) the radius of the sphere is doubled
(c) the surface is changed to a cube
(d) the charge is moved to another location inside the cube

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Gauss’ Law: Application
Gauss’ law is useful for determining electric field when the charge distribution is highly symmetric.

Symmetry System Gaussian Surface

Cylindrical Infinite rod Co-axial cylinder
Planar Infinite plane Gaussian “pillbox”
Spherical Spherical, Spherical shell Concentric sphere

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Gauss’ Law: Application
Requirements:

1. The value of the electric field can be argued by symmetry to be constant over the portion of the
surface.

2. The dot product can be expressed as simple algebraic product E dA because E and dA are parallel or
antiparallel.

3. The value of the dot product is zero because E and dA are perpendicular.

4. The electric field is zero over the portion of the surface.

Each portion of the gaussian surface must satisfy at least one condition.

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Gauss’ Law: Application
Steps to apply Gauss’ Law:

1. Identify the symmetry associated with the charge distribution.

2. Determine the direction of the electric field and a “Gaussian surface” on which the magnitude of
the electric field is constant over portions of the surface.

3. Divide the space into different regions associated with the charge distribution. For each region
calculate qenc, the charge enclosed by the gaussian surface.

4. Calculate the electric flux 𝜙𝐸 through the gaussian surface for each region.
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
5. Equate 𝜙𝐸 with , and deduce the magnitude of the electric field.
𝜀0

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Gauss’ Law: Application
#1 ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO A POINT CHARGE #2 ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO A THIN SPHERICAL SHELL

𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
Φ𝐸 = 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴 = 𝑄
𝜀0 (Outside the shell)
When r > a, 𝐸 = 𝑘𝑒 2
𝑟
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
𝐸𝐴 = 𝐸 × 4𝜋𝑟 2 =
𝜀0
When r < a, 𝐸 = 0 (inside the shell)
𝑞
𝐸 = 𝑘𝑒 2
𝑟

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Gauss’ Law: Application
#3 ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO A SOLID SPHERE
Case #1: for r >a Case #2: For r <a

𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝜙𝐸 = 𝐸 ∙ 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸𝑑𝐴 =
𝜙𝐸 = 𝐸 ∙ 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸𝑑𝐴 = 𝜀0
𝜀0
4 4
𝜌 × 3 𝜋𝑟 3 𝜌𝑟 𝑄 3 𝜋𝑎3 𝑄
𝑄 𝑄 𝑄 𝐸= = 𝑟 = 𝑘𝑒 3 𝑟
𝐸 4𝜋𝑟 2 = 𝐸= = 𝑘 𝑒 2 𝐸 4𝜋𝑟 2 = 3𝜀0 3𝜀0 𝑎
𝜀0 4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 2 𝑟 𝜀0

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Gauss’ Law: Application
#3 ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO A SOLID SPHERE (CONT’D)

 Inside the sphere, E varies linearly with r

 E → 0 as r → 0

 The field outside the sphere is equivalent to

that of a point charge located at the center of
the sphere.

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Gauss’ Law: Application
#4 ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO A CYLINDRICALLY SYMMETRIC CHARGE DISTRIBUTION

At the two ends of the cylinder, electric flux is zero.

𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝜆𝑙
𝐸. 𝑑𝐴 = =
𝜀0 𝜀0

𝜆𝑙
𝐸 × 2𝜋𝑟𝑙 =
𝜀0
𝜆 𝜆
𝐸= = 2𝑘𝑒
2𝜋𝑟𝜀0 𝑟

For a cylindrically symmetric charge distribution, electric field varies as 1/r, not as 1/r2

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Gauss’ Law: Application
#5 ELECTRIC FIELD DUE TO A PLANE OF CHARGE

The plane of charge is infinitely large. The electric field should be the same
at all points equidistant from the plane.

Use Gauss’ law since the charge distribution is symmetric.

𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝜎𝐴
Φ𝐸 = 2𝐸𝐴 = =
𝜀0 𝜀0

𝜎
𝐸=
2𝜀0

Since E is independent of distance from the flat end of the cylinder to the plane, it is uniform everywhere.

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Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium
When there is no net motion of charge within a conductor, the conductor is in electrostatic equilibrium.

PROPERTIES:

• The electric field is zero everywhere inside the conductor – Whether the conductor is solid or hollow.

• If an isolated conductor carries a charge, the charge resides on the surface.

• The electric field just outside a charged conductor is perpendicular to the surface of the conductor and
has a magnitude of /0, where  is the surface charge density at that point.
• On an irregularly shaped conductor, the surface charge density is greatest at locations where the radius
of curvature of the surface is smallest.

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Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium
PROPERTY #1 : E = 0 INSIDE A CONDUCTOR

 Before the external field is applied, free electrons are

distributed throughout the conductor.

 When the external field is applied, the electrons redistribute

until the magnitude of the internal field equals the magnitude
of the external field.

 There is a net field of zero inside the conductor.

 This redistribution takes about 10-16s and can be considered

instantaneous.

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Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium
PROPERTY #2 : SURFACE CHARGE

 Choose a gaussian surface inside but close to the actual surface. The
electric field inside is zero.
 There is no net flux through the gaussian surface.
 Because the gaussian surface can be as close to the actual surface as
desired, there can be no charge inside the surface.
 Since no net charge can be inside the surface, any net charge must
reside on the surface.
 Gauss’s law does not indicate the distribution of these charges, only
that it must be on the surface of the conductor.

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Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium
PROPERTY #3 : FIELD’S MAGNITUDE AND DIRECTION

 Choose a cylinder as the gaussian surface

 The field must be perpendicular to the surface
r
 If there were a parallel component to E , charges would experience
a force and accelerate along the surface and it would not be in
equilibrium
 The net flux through the gaussian surface is through only the flat face
outside the conductor
 The field here is perpendicular to the surface

 Applying Gauss’s law

σA σ
 E  EA  and E 
εo εo

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