APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S THEOREM

a. Electric field due to a straight infinitely long charged wire

Consider an infinitely long straight wire of charge density ‘𝜆’. To find the
field at a point at a distance ‘r’ from the line charge, imagine a cylindrical
Gaussian surface of radius ‘r’, length ‘l’ and with its axis along the line charge.

The total electric flux,

𝜙E = ∮ 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺
𝜙E = ∫𝑆 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺𝟏 + ∫𝑆 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺𝟐 + ∫𝑆 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺𝟑 - - - - - - - - - - (1)
1 2 3

At the end faces (S 2 and S3), E and dS are mutually perpendicular.

i.e, E⊥dS2 and E⊥dS3
While at the curved surface (S 1), E and dS are in the same direction.
i.e, E ∥ dS1
Thus (1) becomes,
𝜙E = ∫𝑆 𝐸𝑑𝑆 cos 0 + ∫𝑆 𝐸𝑑𝑆 cos 90 + ∫𝑆 𝐸𝑑𝑆 cos 90
1 2 3
= ∫𝑆 𝐸𝑑𝑆 + 0 + 0 (∵ cos 0 = 1 and cos 90 = 1)
1
= E∫𝑆 𝑑𝑆
1

(Each point on the curved surface is equidistant from the axis, hence the same
field)
i.e, 𝜙E = E.2𝜋rl - - - - - - - - - - - - (2)

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 (∫𝑆 𝑑𝑆 = 2𝜋rl, the curved surface area)
1
By Gauss’s law, we’ve,
𝑞
𝜙E = ∮ 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺 = - - - - - - - - - - - - (3)
𝜀0

From (2) and (3),

𝑞
E.2𝜋rl =
𝜀0
𝜆𝑙 𝑞
= (∵ 𝜆 = ; q = 𝜆.l)
𝜀0 𝑙
𝜆
⇒ E=
2𝜋𝑟 𝜀0

b. Electric field due to a uniformly charged infinite plane sheet

Consider an infinitely long plane sheet of charge density ‘𝜎’. We have to find the
electric field at a point which is at a distance ‘r’ from the plane sheet. For th is
imagine a Gaussian cylinder of small area of cross-section ‘A’ penetrating the
sheet and extending to both sides equally.

The total electric flux through the Gaussian cylinder is,

𝜙E = ∮ 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺
𝜙E = ∫𝑐 𝑠 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺 + ∫𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺 - - - - - - - - (1)

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At the end faces, E and dS are in the same direction. i.e, E ∥ dS, and at the curved
surface, E and dS are mutually perpendicular, i.e, E ⊥ dS.
Thus (1) becomes,
𝜙E = ∫𝑐 𝑠 𝐸𝑑𝑆 cos 90 + ∫𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝐸𝑑𝑆 cos 0

= 0 + ∫𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝐸𝑑𝑆 (∵ cos 0 = 1 and cos 90 = 1)

= E∫𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑆

(Here, the two end faces are equidistant from the sheet, hence the same field)
⇒ 𝜙E = E.2A - - - - - - - - - - - - (2)
(Since, there are 2 circular end faces, each of area A)
Charge enclosed by the Gaussian cylinder is,
𝑞
q = 𝜎.A (∵ 𝜎 = ; q = 𝜎.A) - - - - - - - - - - - - (3)
𝐴

By Gauss’s theorem, we’ve,

𝑞
𝜙E = ∮ 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺 = - - - - - - - - - - - - (4)
𝜀0

From (2), (3) and (4),

𝑞 𝜎.𝐴
E.2A = =
𝜀0 𝜀0
𝜎
⇒ E=
2𝜀0
The electric field is independent of the distance from the plane sheet.
Electric field due to two positively charged parallel sheets
Consider two thin parallel plane sheets with charge densities, 𝜎1 and 𝜎2. Let 𝑟̂
be a unit vector pointing from left to right.
In the region I, field due to the two sheets are,
𝜎1 𝜎2
E1 = − 𝑟̂ ; E2 = − 𝑟̂
2𝜀0 2𝜀0

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The total electric field at any point of region I is,
EI = E1 + E2
= −(E1 + E2) 𝑟̂
𝜎1 𝜎2 𝜎1 𝜎2
=− 𝑟̂ − 𝑟̂ = − ( + ) 𝑟̂
2𝜀0 2𝜀0 2𝜀0 2𝜀0
1
=− (𝜎1+ 𝜎2 ) 𝑟̂
2𝜀0

In the region II,

EII = E1 + E2
= (E1 − E2) 𝑟̂
𝜎1 𝜎2 𝜎1 𝜎2
= 𝑟̂ − 𝑟̂ = ( − ) 𝑟̂
2𝜀0 2𝜀0 2𝜀0 2𝜀0
1
= (𝜎1 − 𝜎2 ) 𝑟̂
2𝜀0
In the region III,
EIII = E1 + E2
= (E1 + E2) 𝑟̂
𝜎1 𝜎2 𝜎1 𝜎2
= 𝑟̂ + 𝑟̂ = ( + ) 𝑟̂
2𝜀0 2𝜀0 2𝜀0 2𝜀0
1
= (𝜎1 + 𝜎2 ) 𝑟̂
2𝜀0

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Electric field due to two infinitely large parallel plane sheets of equal and opposite
charge densities

The magnitude of electric field intensity due to a charged plane sheet having
charge density ‘𝜎’ is,
𝜎
E=
2𝜀0
In the region I,
EI = E1 + E2
= (−E1 + E2) 𝑟̂
𝜎 𝜎
=− 𝑟̂ + 𝑟̂
2𝜀0 2𝜀0
= 0
In the region II,
EII = E1 + E2 = (E1 + E2) 𝑟̂
𝜎 𝜎
= 𝑟̂ + 𝑟̂
2𝜀0 2𝜀0
𝜎
= 𝑟̂
𝜀0

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 In the region III,
EIII = E1 + E2
= (E1 − E2) 𝑟̂
𝜎 𝜎
= 𝑟̂ − 𝑟̂
2𝜀0 2𝜀0
=0
c. Electric field due to a uniformly charged spherical shell
Consider a shell of radius ‘R’ and charge density ‘𝜎’. We have to find the
electric field at a point ‘r’ distance from the centre of this shell. For this, consider
a Gaussian sphere of radius ‘r’, concentric with the given shell.
Case I: Electric field outside the shell

The total electric flux through the Gaussian sphere is,

𝜙E = ∮ 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺
= ∮ 𝐸𝑑𝑆 cos 0 (∵ E ∥ dS)
= ∮ 𝐸𝑑𝑆
= E∮ 𝑑𝑆
𝜙E = E.4𝜋r2 - - - - - - - - - - - - (1)
(∵ ∮ 𝐸𝑑𝑆 = 4𝜋r2, the curved surface area)
The charge enclosed by the Gaussian sphere is,

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 𝑞
q = 𝜎.A (∵ 𝜎 = )
𝐴
2
q = 𝜎. 4𝜋R - - - - - - - - - - - - (2)
By Gauss’s theorem, we’ve,
𝑞
𝜙E = ∮ 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺 = - - - - - - - - - - - - (3)
𝜀0

From (1), (2) and (3),

2
𝑞 𝜎.4𝜋 𝑅
2
E.4𝜋r = =
𝜀0 𝜀0
𝜎 𝑅2
⇒ E=
𝜀0 𝑟 2
𝑞 𝑞
By taking, 𝜎= = , we get,
𝐴 4𝜋𝑅2
1 𝑞
E=
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 2
This field is the same as that produced by a charge q placed at the centre O.
Hence for points outside the shell, the field due to a uniformly charged shell is as
if the entire charge of the shell is concentrated at its centre.
Case II: Electric field on the surface of the shell
Electric field at any point outside the spherical shell is,
𝜎 𝑅2
E=
𝜀0 𝑟 2
On the surface, we can take r = R. Thus we get,
𝜎
E=
𝜀0
Case III: Electric field inside the shell
In this case, the charge enclosed by the Gaussian sphere is zero.
i.e, q=0
Thus, by Gauss’s law, we can write,
𝑞
𝜙E = ∮ 𝑬. 𝒅𝑺 = =0
𝜀0

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⇒ E=0
Hence, electric field due to a uniformly charged spherical shell is zero at all points
inside the shell

Electrostatic shielding
Electric field inside the cavity of a conductor of any shape is zero. This is called
electrostatic shielding.

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