Physics102- GAUSS’S LAW

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
• Define and explain the concept of electric flux.
• Apply Gauss’s Law to various symmetrical charge distributions.
• Calculate the electric field due to different charge configurations using Gauss’s Law.
• Differentiate between electric flux and electric field strength.
• Analyze the significance of Gauss’s Law in electrostatics.
• Explain the experimental basis of Gauss’s and Coulomb’s Laws.
• Describe how Coulomb’s torsion balance experiment confirmed the inverse square law.
• Understand the applications of Gauss’s Law in conducting spheres and charge distributions.
• Apply integral calculus to compute electric flux in closed surfaces.
• Demonstrate problem-solving skills using Gauss’s Law in real-world electrostatic scenarios.

Introductory Remarks
- Gauss’s law is convenient to find electric field due to symmetric
charge distributions.
- Gauss’s law is one of the four important laws of
electromagnetism, known as the Maxwell’s equations
- Gauss’s law is good to understand properties of conductors in
electrostatic equilibrium.

Electric Flux
Electric Flux through an open surface
Refer to the surface; electric field lines crossing an open surface:
ΦE = EA Eq.1

Where, E is the electric field, assumed to be uniform and A is the plane surface area. Note
that E, electric field is perpendicular to the plane surface.
SI unit of ΦE is Nm2/C.

If the electric field is not perpendicular to the surface as shown in the figure;
Physics102- GAUSS’S LAW

ΦE = EAcosθ Eq.2

Where, θ is the angle between the electric field and the normal of the surface. Note
that if θ would be 0°, plane surface would be perpendicular to the electric field
leading to, ΦE = EA, consistent with Eq. 1.

Electric Flux through a closed surface

Refer to a closed surface shown in the figure.

We assume to divide the surface into small surface area elements each represented
by a vector ΔAi outward. The flux through that area element is;
Φ E ,i = Ei (ΔAi ) cos i = Ei  ΔAi
recall the definition of the scalar product.
We can obtain the electric flux through all the surface area elements by adding the similar
terms for all the area elements.

ΦE = ∑𝑬𝑖 . 𝛥𝑨𝑖
The total flux through the surface is obtained by assuming 𝛥𝑨𝑖 approaching zero.
Physics102- GAUSS’S LAW

 E = lim  Ei Ai Eq.4

Ai →0

E = 
Surface
E.dA Eq.5

This is a surface integral involving the scalar product of two vector quantities to be integrated
through all the surface area elements.
EXAMPLE 1
A cube is in a uniform electric field as shown in the figure. Find the net electric flux through
the surface of the cube. Solution of this example to be explained during the lecture. The total
electric flux through the cube is zero because no electric charge exists inside the cube.

Problems

Gauss’s Law
Before we state the Gauss’s law, lets find the total electric flux through a concentric spherical
surface due to the electric field created by a point charge a at the center of the spherical
surface.
Using the expression for the total electric flux, choosing a spherical Gaussian surface and
using the electric field due to a point charge we obtain the total flux to be equal to q /  0 .

E = 
Surface
E.dA = q /  0
Physics102- GAUSS’S LAW

 E = 1/ 4 0 ( q / r 2 ) . ( 4 r 2 ) = q /  0 Eq.6

E = 
Surface
E.dA = q /  0

Question 1:
Refer to the figure below, what are the electric flux through surfaces S1, S2 and S3?

Question 2:
Refer to the figure below, what is the electric flux through the closed surface out of the
charge as shown in the figure?
Physics102- GAUSS’S LAW

Problems

Applications of Gauss’s Law for Various Charge Distributions

Electric Field due to a Spherical Charge Distribution
Problem:
Electric charge Q is uniformly distributed in a spherical volume of radius a. Find the electric
field expressions (a) outside the sphere and (b) inside the sphere.
Solution of this problem is in the textbook and to presented during the class sessions.
Physics102- GAUSS’S LAW

Question:
What is the electric field at the center and at the surface of the charge distribution?
Examine the graph of E vs r shown below.

Electric field at a Distance from a Line of Charge distribution

Problem: Consider infinitely long line charge distribution, with charge per unit length is λ.
Find the electric field expressions at a distance r from the line charge distribution.
Solution of this problem is in the textbook and to presented during the class sessions.

Electric Field Due to a Planar Charge Distribution

Problem:
Electric charge is uniformly distributed on a thin plane of large dimensions with surface
charge density σ, see the figure below. Find the electric field expressions at a distance d from
the planar charge distribution. Note that d is quite small compared with the dimensions of the
plane.
Solution of this problem is in the textbook and to presented during the class sessions.
Physics102- GAUSS’S LAW

Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium

Under electrostatic condition:
- Excess charge on a conductor reside at the outer surface.
- Electric field inside of a conductor is zero.
- Electric field just outside of the conductor is σ/ϵ0.
- Surface charge density is higher on the sharp corners or regions of small radius of curvature.
Explanations of these important statements are given in the textbook and to be presented
during the class sessions.

Problems
Physics102- GAUSS’S LAW