LECTURE 5

Electric Flux

Gauss’s Law

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Objectives

Evaluate the electric flux through Use Gauss’s law to calculate the
a surface given the electric field electric flux through a surface
WHAT’S IN THE BOX???
Consider an imaginary closed surface, which
may or may not contain electric charge.

How can you determine how much (if any) electric charge lies within the box?
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Charge and electric flux
How to determine electric charge
inside the box?

1. Measure force experienced by a

test charge at different positions.
2. Map out the electric field outside
the box.

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Charge and electric flux
To determine the “contents” of the box,
we simply measure the electric field on
the surface of the box.

Alternatively, we can measure the flux, or

the “flow” of the electric field through
some imaginary surface enclosing the
“content.”

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Electric flux ΦE
o “Flow” of the electric field through an imaginary surface.
o Denoted by ΦE
• Scalar quantity
• SI unit: 1 Nm2/C

o Number of electric field lines passing through a surface

o Measure of “flow” of electric field through a given surface
area

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Charge and electric flux

“outward flux”
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Charge and electric flux

“inward flux”
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Zero net charge and electric flux
3 Cases:

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Electric flux

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 Summary
1. Whether there is a net outward or inward electric flux through a
closed surface depends on the sign of the enclosed charge.
2. Charges outside the surface do not give a net electric flux through
the surface.
3. The net electric flux is directly proportional to the net amount of
charge enclosed within the surface.
4. The net electric flux due to a charge distribution inside a closed
surface is independent of the size and shape of the closed surface.

Gauss’ Law!
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ConcepTest!
A cylinder with radius R and height H encloses
two point charges –Q and +2Q. The electric flux
through the cylinder is 𝜙. If the cylinder’s radius
is increased twice, what is the electric flux -Q
through the cylinder?
(A) ¼𝜙 (C) 𝜙 (E) 4𝜙
+2Q
(B) ½𝜙 (D) 2𝜙

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ConcepTest!
A cylinder with radius R and height H encloses
two point charges –Q and +2Q. The electric flux
through the cylinder is 𝜙. If the cylinder’s radius
is increased twice, what is the electric flux -Q
through the cylinder?
(A) ¼𝜙 (C) 𝜙 (E) 4𝜙
+2Q
(B) ½𝜙 (D) 2𝜙
The net electric flux due to a charge distribution inside a
closed surface is independent of the size and shape of the
closed surface.

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Recall: Fluid flux
Volume flow rate through a
loop of area 𝐴:
𝑑𝑉
= 𝐴𝑣
𝑑𝑡

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Recall: Fluid flux
Volume flow rate through a
loop of area 𝐴 tilted at an angle
𝜙:
𝑑𝑉
= 𝐴 cos 𝜙 𝑣
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑉
= 𝐴Ԧ ⋅ 𝑣Ԧ
𝑑𝑡

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Flux of a uniform electric field
Making the following associations:
𝑑𝑉
→ Φ𝐸
𝑑𝑡
𝑣Ԧ → 𝐸
Electric flux for uniform 𝑬, flat surface:

𝜱𝑬 = 𝑬 ⋅ 𝑨
𝜱𝑬 = 𝑬𝑨 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝝓
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Area vector, 𝐴Ԧ
In an open surface, the area vector 𝐴Ԧ In a closed surface, we choose
is at least perpendicular to the surface the directions of the area
while arbitrarily determined. vectors to be pointing away
from the polyhedron.

ෝ : unit vector perpendicular to A

𝒏
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Electric flux through a flat surface

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Electric flux through a flat surface

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Electric flux through a flat surface

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Example
A uniform electric field given by
𝐸 = 2𝑖Ƹ + 3𝑗Ƹ + 5𝑘෠ N/C
is incident on a flat square sheet lying on the 𝑥𝑦-
plane. If the length of the sides is 3 m, what is the
electric flux through the sheet?

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Solution
Area vector: 𝐴𝑛ො = 𝐴𝑘,෠ 𝑛ො is along the z-axis
since the sheet is on the xy-plane
Φ𝐸 = 𝐸 ⋅ 𝐴Ԧ = 2𝑖Ƹ + 3𝑗Ƹ + 5𝑘෠ ⋅ 9𝑘෠
𝑵𝒎𝟐
𝜱𝑬 = 𝟒𝟓
𝑪

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Flux of a non-uniform electric field
What if the electric field is not uniform or area 𝑨 is a curved
surface?
Divide 𝐴 into small elements 𝑑𝐴, each having a unit vector 𝑛ො
perpendicular to it.
𝑑𝐴Ԧ = 𝑛ො 𝑑𝐴 (area vector)
Φ𝐸 = ∫ 𝐸 cos 𝜙 𝑑𝐴 = ∫ 𝐸⊥ 𝑑𝐴
Φ𝐸 = ∫ 𝐸 ⋅ 𝑑 𝐴Ԧ (general definition)
“surface integral”
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General definition of electric flux
where

Uniform Electric Field Non-uniform Electric Field

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Electric flux through a disk
A disk of radius 0.10 m is oriented with its normal unit vector at 30∘
3N
to a uniform electric field of magnitude 2.0 × 10 . What is the
C
electric flux through the disk?

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Electric flux through a disk - Solution
Use the definition of electric flux for a given angle.

3N 2
ΦE = EAcos 𝜙 = 2.0 × 10 𝜋 0.10 m cos 30∘
C
𝚽𝐄 = 𝟓𝟒 𝐍 ⋅ 𝐦𝟐 /𝐂

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Electric flux through a cube
An imaginary cubical surface of side
𝐿 is in a region of uniform electric
field 𝐸.

Find the electric flux through each

face of the cube and the total flux
through the cube when it is
oriented with two of its faces
perpendicular to 𝐸.

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Electric flux through a cube - Solution
Area of each side of the cube: 𝐿2
Obtain angle between 𝑛ො and 𝐸.

Total flux through the cube:

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Electric flux through a cube
Remark: There is zero net flux on a closed surface that contains no
electric charge.

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Electric flux through a sphere
A point charge +𝑞 is surrounded by an imaginary sphere of
radius 𝑟 centered on the charge. Find the resulting electric
flux through the sphere.

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Electric flux through a sphere - Solution
The surface of a sphere is not flat so electric field is not
uniform. So we use
Φ𝐸 = ∫ 𝐸 ⋅ 𝑑𝐴Ԧ
But 𝐸 and 𝑑𝐴Ԧ are parallel anywhere on the surface of the
sphere. Thus,
Φ𝐸 = ∫ 𝐸 𝑑𝐴

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Electric flux through a sphere - Solution
At any point on the sphere with radius 𝑟, the electric field magnitude is:
𝑞
𝐸= 4𝜋𝜖𝑜 𝑟 2
Surface area of a sphere: 𝐴 = 4𝜋𝑟 2
Total flux is then given by:
ΦE = 𝐸 ∫ 𝑑𝐴 = 𝐸𝐴
𝑞
ΦE = 4𝜋𝑟 2
4𝜋𝜖𝑜 𝑟 2
𝒒
𝚽𝐄 = 𝝐𝒐

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Electric flux through a sphere
𝑞
ΦE =
𝜖𝑜
Remark:

The flux through any surface

enclosing a single point charge is
independent of the shape or size
of the surface.

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Prelude to Gauss’ Law
❑Electric flux through a closed surface is related to the
amount of charge enclosed.

❑Very profound idea: electric flux through a closed surface

does not depend on the shape of the surface!
Φ𝐸 =
𝑞
𝜖
𝑒𝑛𝑐
𝑜
(Gauss’ Law)
where 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 is the charge enclosed in the closed surface.

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EXAMPLE
Determine the net electric flux of each Gaussian surface shown. (1 pt
each) Rank their net electric flux according to their signed value. (2pts)
All the charges are of equal magnitude, |q|.

+ + +
- + + +
+ -
-
- - +
+ +
A B C
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Solution
We only count the charges inside the surface.
𝒒
A: -2 + 1 = -1 → 𝚽𝑨 = −
𝝐𝒐
𝒒
B: 2 -1 = +1 → 𝚽𝐁 = +
𝝐𝒐
C: 2 – 2 = 0 → 𝚽𝐂 = 𝟎

𝚽𝑩 > 𝚽𝑪 > 𝚽𝑨

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Gauss’ Law
•An alternative to Coulomb’s Law
•Formulated by the mathematician Carl
Friedrich Gauss
•A different way of expressing the
relationship between electric charge and
electric field

Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss

(1777-1855)

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 Gauss’ Law

valid for any distribution of charges and for any closed surface

Two applications:
1. Symmetric charge distribution + evaluate integral = Electric Field

2. Electric Field + Gauss’ Law = Knowledge of Charge Distribution

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Point charge inside a spherical surface
Consider a point charge +q placed at the center of a
spherical Gaussian surface with radius R.
𝑬 : Outward and perpendicular to any
point on the Gaussian surface
+q
R

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Point charge inside a spherical surface
Consider a point charge +q placed at the center of a
spherical Gaussian surface with radius R.
𝑬 has the same value at any point on the surface.
+𝒒
+q =
R
𝝐𝒐

(Flux is independent of
radius R of sphere)

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2 spheres with radii R and 2R centered on the point charge +q

4dA

R dA
q
2R

The same number of field lines and thus

the same flux pass through each of the area
elements.
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Point charge inside a non-spherical surface
For irregular surface:
+q
If enclosed charge is positive (+q):

Holds for any size or shape of

closed surface

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Point charge inside a non-spherical surface
For irregular surface:
-q If enclosed charge is negative (-q):

Holds for any size or shape of

closed surface

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Point charge inside a non-spherical surface
For irregular surface:
If there is no enclosed charge:

Holds for any size or shape of

closed surface

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 Gauss’ Law
q q1 q2
qn

Enclosed charge
Electric field
on Gaussian surface

Electric flux

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General Form of Gauss’ Law
𝑸𝐞𝐧𝐜
ර 𝑬 ⋅ 𝒅𝑨 =
𝝐𝒐
Note: Surface area of
the Gaussian surface!

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Example
A positive point charge Q is located at the center of a cube of side-
length L. In addition, six other identical positive point charges q are
positioned symmetrically around Q, as shown in the figure. What is
the electric flux through one face of the cube?
Answer:
The charges are symmetrically arranged and are
symmetrically distant from the faces of Gaussian cube.

𝑄 + 6𝑞
Net flux through the cube:
𝜖𝑜

𝑄 + 6𝑞
Flux through one face:
6𝜖𝑜

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TRY THIS
1. A spherical Gaussian surface (#1) encloses and
is centered on a point charge +q. A second
spherical Gaussian surface (#2) of the same size
also encloses the charge but is not centered on it.
Compared to the electric flux through surface #1, +q
the flux through surface #2 is:
A. greater. D. zero.
B. the same. E. not enough information
C. less, but not zero. Gaussian Gaussian
surface #1 surface #2

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TRY THIS
2. Two point charges, +q (in red) and
–q (in blue), are arranged as shown.
Through which closed surface(s) is
the net electric flux equal to zero?
A. surface A
B. surface B
C. surface C
D. surface D
E. both surface C and surface D

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TRY THIS - ANSWERS
1. B: Electric flux is the number of electric field lines passing through a surface. By Gauss’s
Law, the net electric flux due to a charge distribution enclosed by an imaginary closed
surface (also known as Gaussian surface) is independent of the size and the shape of the
closed surface. The net flux is only dependent on the amount of charge enclosed by the
Gaussian surface.
2. E:
Surface A has a positive enclosed charge, thus a positive electric flux (Φ > 0)
Surface B has a negative enclosed charge, thus a negative electric flux (Φ < 0)
Surface C has a zero-net enclosed charge, thus a zero net electric flux (Φ = 0)
Surface D has no enclosed charges, thus a zero electric flux (Φ = 0)

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