Gauss’ Law, Electric Flux:

Electric Flux: (F)

The number of electric field lines going through a normally
perpendicular from the surface.

F= E.A F = E A cos ()

Where:
A is a vector normal to the surface ,  is the angle between E and A
Electric Flux
Electric Flux
 Gauss’ Law
Gauss’ Law: q
The flux of electric field through a closed F
surface is proportional to the charge enclosed. 
Fq
We can ask, what is the electric flux out of such a closed surface? Just
integrate over the closed surface:
 
F   dF   E  dA Flux positive => out
Flux negative => in

The  symbol has a little circle to indicate that the integral is over a closed
surface.

Gaussian surface:
The hypothetical closed surface in three-dimensional space with
high symmetry surrounding a charge.
 Example of Gauss’ Law
Consider a dipole with equal positive and negative charges.
Imagine four surfaces S1, S2, S3, S4, as shown.
Example:
A point charge of 𝟏. 𝟖 μ𝒄 is at the center of a cubical Gaussian surface
𝟓𝟓 𝒄𝒎 on edge. What is the net electric flux through the surface?

Solution:

𝑞 1.8 × 10−6 5 𝑁. 𝑚2 /𝐶
∵Φ= = = 2 × 10
𝜀𝑜 8.85 × 10−12
 Applying Gauss’s Law

Gauss’ Law and Coulomb’s Law:

To calculate the electric field at a distance (𝑟) from a point charge (𝑞) using Gauss’ law consider
a spherical Gaussian surface has a radius (𝑟), and the angle (𝜃) between (𝐸 ⃗ ) and (𝑑𝐴⃗ ) is Zero

 
∵ Φ = 𝑞/𝜀𝑜 E  dA  E dA
∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 Φ
qenc
∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 ර 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴

∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 𝐸 𝐴 r
∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 𝐸 (4𝜋𝑟 2 )

qenc
1
E 
4 0 r 2
 Applying Gauss’s Law, Cylindrical symmetry
(Electric field due to charged line)
Here is a line geometry, where the charges are evenly distributed on a long line.
If the total charge on the line is Q, and the line has a total length h, then the
linear charge density is:   Q / h C/m
Gaussian surface is a cylinder of radius (r) and its length is (h).
the total flux from both circular bases is zero because the
angle (𝜃) between (𝐸 ⃗ ) and (𝑑𝐴⃗ ) is 90°

Φ = ර 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴 = ර 𝐸 𝑑𝐴 𝑐𝑜𝑠90 = 0
Then, all electric flux gets from the side area of cylinder because
the angle (𝜃) between (𝐸 ⃗ ) and (𝑑𝐴⃗ ) is Zero in all position.
∵ Φ = 𝑞/𝜀𝑜 ∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 𝐸 (2𝜋𝑟ℎ)
∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 Φ
∴ 𝐸 = 𝑞/𝜀𝑜 (2𝜋𝑟ℎ)
∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 ර 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴
𝜆 Line of Charge
∴𝐸=
2𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑟
∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 𝐸 𝐴
 Applying Gauss’s Law, on Conducting plates

Here is a plate (plane) geometry, where the charges are evenly

distributed on a flat surface. If the total charge on the plate is
Q, and the plate has a total area Atot, then the surface charge
density is:   Q / A C/m2
tot

The E field is every where perpendicular to the plate

∵ Φ = 𝑞/𝜀𝑜
∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 Φ

∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 ර 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴

∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 𝐸 𝐴
∴ 𝐸 = 𝑞/𝜀𝑜 𝐴

𝝈
∴𝑬=
𝜺𝒐 Conducting Surface
Applying Gauss’s Law, non-conducting surface
(Planar symmetry)
The E field is every where perpendicular to the plate

∵ Φ = 𝑞/𝜀𝑜

∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 Φ

∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 ර 𝐸. 𝑑𝐴

∴ 𝑞 = 𝜀𝑜 2 𝐸 𝐴

𝑞
∴𝐸=
2𝜀𝑜 𝐴
𝝈
∴𝑬=
𝟐 𝜺𝒐
 Two Parallel Conducting Plates

• When we have the situation shown in the left two panels (a positively charged plate
and another negatively charged plate with the same magnitude of charge), both in
isolation, they each have equal amounts of charge (surface charge density ) on
both faces.
• But when we bring them close together, the charges on the far sides move to the
near sides, so on that inner surface the charge density is now 2.
• A gaussian surface shows that the net charge is zero (no flux through sides — dA
perpendicular to E, or ends — E = 0). E = 0 outside, too, due to shielding, in just
the same way we saw for the sphere.
Applying Gauss’ Law, Spherical Symmetry:
 Shell Theorems

A shell of uniform charge attracts or repels a charge particle that

is outside the shell as if all the charge were concentrated at the
center of the shell.

A shell of uniform charge exerts no electrostatic force on a

charged particle that is located inside the shell

𝟏 𝒒
𝑬=
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝒐 𝒓𝟐 → (𝒓 ≥ 𝑹)

𝑬 = 𝒛𝒆𝒓𝒐
→ (𝒓 < 𝑹)
 Applying Gauss’ Law, Spherical Symmetry:

E
dA
 Applying Gauss’ Law, Spherical Symmetry:

E
dA

The dots represent a spherically symmetric distribution

of charge of radius R, whose volume charge density r is
a function only of distance from the center. The charged
object is not a conductor, and therefore the charge is
assumed to be fixed in position. A concentric spherical
Gaussian surface with r >R is shown.

Q
We found for r  a , E  ke
r2
ke Q
and for r  a , E  r
a3
 Applying Gauss’ Law, Spherical Symmetry:

𝜌𝑟 = 𝜌𝑅

𝑞 𝑄
=
𝑉𝑟 𝑉𝑅
𝑞 𝑄
=
4 3 4 3
𝜋𝑟 𝜋𝑅
3 3
𝑄 𝑟3
𝑞= 3
𝑅

1 𝑄𝑟
𝐸=
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑅3