TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE

PHILIPPINES
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE – Physics Department

PHYSICS FOR
ENGINEERS
PHYSENG

Instructor: Ms. Coleen M. Amado

 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
OBJECTIVES
❑ Explain the concept of electric flux
❑ Calculate the electric flux
❑ Explain how the charge enclosed, electric flux,
and electric field are related through Gauss’s
Law
❑ Apply Gauss’s Law in problem-solving
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CONCEPT OF GAUSS’ LAW
Consider a box
which may or
may not contain
electric charge.
How do you know if
a charge is inside A test charge can be moved
around the vicinity of the
and how much this box and measure the force
charge is? it experiences
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CONCEPT OF ELECTRIC FLUX
The electric field vectors
representing the electric field
created by electric charges seem to
be flowing into or out of the closed
surface. Thus, these are called
electric flux.
▪ Positive Charge – outward flux (+)
▪ Negative Charge – inward flux (-)
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CONCEPT OF ELECTRIC FLUX
The net flux is directly The flux is
proportional to the net amount of independent of
charge in the enclosed surface. the container.
▪ no charge = zero flux
▪ zero net charge = zero flux (inward and
outward flux cancel out)
▪ charges outside the enclosed surface do
not give a net electric flux through the
surface
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
TRY THIS
If the dimensions of the enclosed surface are
increased by a factor of 3, what will be the effect on
the electric flux through the box?
(i) the flux will be 9 times greater
(ii) the flux will be 3 times greater
(iii) the flux will remain the same
(iv) the flux will be 1/3 as great
(v) the flux will be 1/9 as great
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
The electric flux in a uniform electric field is given by
𝜱𝑬 = 𝑬 ∙ 𝑨 = 𝑬𝑨𝒄𝒐𝒔𝝓
where:

𝜱𝑬 is the electric flux in Nm2/C

𝑬 is the electric field vector in N/C
𝑨 is the vector perpendicular to the surface of the enclosed surface in m2
𝝓 is the angle between 𝑬 and 𝑨
Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
ELECTRIC FLUX THROUGH A DISK
A disk with radius 0.10 m is oriented with
𝑨 at an angle of 30.00 to a uniform electric
field 𝑬 with magnitude 2.0x103 N/C. (a)
What is the electric flux through the disk?
(b) What is the flux through the disk if it is
turned so that 𝑨 is perpendicular to 𝑬?
(c)What is the flux through the disk if 𝑨 is
parallel to 𝑬?
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
ELECTRIC FLUX THROUGH A DISK
A disk with radius 0.10 m is oriented with 𝑨 at an angle of 30.00 to a uniform electric
field 𝑬 with magnitude 2.0x103 N/C. (a) What is the electric flux through the disk? (b)
What is the flux through the disk if it is turned so that 𝑨 is perpendicular to 𝑬?
(c)What is the flux through the disk if 𝑨 is parallel to 𝑬?

Given: a) Φ =? b) Φ =?
𝑟 = 0.10 𝑚 Φ = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 Φ = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝜃 = 30.0𝑜 Φ = 𝐸 𝜋𝑟 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 Φ = 𝐸 𝜋𝑟 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝐸 = 2.0 × 103 𝑁/𝐶 Φ = 2.0 × 103 𝑁/𝐶 𝜋 0.10 𝑚 2 cos 30.00
Φ = 2.0 × 103 𝑁/𝐶 𝜋 0.10 𝑚 2 cos 90.00

𝚽 = 𝟓𝟒. 𝟒𝟏 𝑵 ∙ 𝒎𝟐 /𝑪 𝚽=𝟎
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
ELECTRIC FLUX THROUGH A DISK
A disk with radius 0.10 m is oriented with 𝑨 at an angle of 30.00 to a uniform electric
field 𝑬 with magnitude 2.0x103 N/C. (a) What is the electric flux through the disk? (b)
What is the flux through the disk if it is turned so that 𝑨 is perpendicular to 𝑬?
(c)What is the flux through the disk if 𝑨 is parallel to 𝑬?

Given: c) Φ =?
𝑟 = 0.10 𝑚 Φ = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝜃 = 30.0𝑜 Φ = 𝐸 𝜋𝑟 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝐸 = 2.0 × 103 𝑁/𝐶 Φ = 2.0 × 103 𝑁/𝐶 𝜋 0.10 𝑚 2
cos 00
𝚽 = 𝟔𝟐. 𝟖𝟑 𝑵 ∙ 𝒎𝟐 /𝑪
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
ELECTRIC FLUX THROUGH A CUBE
A cube of side L is placed 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 two of its
faces is parallel to the field.
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
ELECTRIC FLUX THROUGH A CUBE
A cube of side L is placed 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 two of its faces is parallel to the field.

For surface 1: For surface 3: For surface 5:

Φ1 = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 Φ3 = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 Φ5 = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
Φ1 = 𝐸𝐿2 𝑐𝑜𝑠180𝑜 Φ3 = 𝐸𝐿2 𝑐𝑜𝑠90𝑜 Φ5 = 𝐸𝐿2 𝑐𝑜𝑠90𝑜
𝚽𝟏 = −𝑬𝑳𝟐 𝚽𝟑 = 𝟎 𝚽𝟓 = 𝟎 Total Flux:
Φ𝑛𝑒𝑡 = −𝐸𝐿2 + 𝐸𝐿2
𝚽𝒏𝒆𝒕 = 𝟎
For surface 2: For surface 4: For surface 6:
Φ2 = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 Φ4 = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 Φ6 = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
Φ2 = 𝐸𝐿2 𝑐𝑜𝑠0𝑜 Φ4 = 𝐸𝐿2 𝑐𝑜𝑠90𝑜 Φ6 = 𝐸𝐿2 𝑐𝑜𝑠90𝑜
𝚽𝟐 = 𝑬𝑳𝟐 𝚽𝟒 = 𝟎 𝚽𝟔 = 𝟎
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
ELECTRIC FLUX THROUGH A
SPHERE
A positive point charge 𝑞 = 3.0μ𝐶 is
surrounded by a sphere with radius
0.20m centered on the charge. Find
the electric flux through the sphere
due to this charge.
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
ELECTRIC FLUX THROUGH A SPHERE
A positive point charge 𝑞 = 3.0μ𝐶 is surrounded by a sphere with radius 0.20m
centered on the charge. Find the electric flux through the sphere due to this charge.

Given: Φ =?
𝑞 = 3.0 𝜇𝐶 Φ = 𝐸𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑟 = 0.20 𝑚 𝑘𝑞
Φ = 2 4𝜋𝑟 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑟
9 𝑁𝑚2
9.0 × 10 2 3.0 × 10−6 𝐶
𝐶 2
Φ= 4𝜋 0.20 𝑚 cos 0𝑜
0.20 𝑚 2
𝚽 = 𝟑. 𝟑𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎𝟓 𝑵 ∙ 𝒎𝟐 /𝑪
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC FLUX
TRY THIS
A flat sheet of paper of area 0.250 m2 is oriented so that
the normal to the sheet is at an angle of 60o to the
uniform field of magnitude 14 N/C. Find the magnitude
of the electric field through the sheet.

Answer: 1.8 Nm2/C

 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
GAUSS’S LAW
Suppose we place a positive point charge
q at the center of an imaginary spherical
surface with radius R. The magnitude of
the electric field at every point on that
+
surface is therefore given by
𝟏 𝒒
𝑬=
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝒐 𝑹𝟐
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
GAUSS’S LAW
At each point on the surface, 𝐸 is
perpendicular to the surface, and its
magnitude is the same at every point.
Hence, the total electric flux through the
+
sphere is
1 𝑞 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠0𝑜
Φ = EAcos𝜃 = 4𝜋𝑅
4𝜋𝜀𝑜 𝑅2
𝒒
𝚽=
𝜺𝒐
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
GAUSS’S LAW
Gauss’s Law states that 𝒒𝒆𝒏𝒄
𝜱𝑬 =
the total electric flux 𝝐𝟎
through any closed where:
surface is proportional to Φ𝐸 is the net electric flux
the total net electric 𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐 is the net charge enclosed
charge inside the surface. 𝜖0 is the permittivity of free
space = 8.85 x 10-12 C2/Nm2
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
A point charge of 1.8 µC is at the
center of a cube whose edge is 55 cm.
What is the net electric flux through
the surface?
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
A point charge of 1.8 µC is at the center of a cube whose edge is
55 cm. What is the net electric flux through the surface?

Given: Φ =?
𝑞 = 1.8 𝜇𝐶 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
Φ=
𝐿 = 55 𝑐𝑚 𝜀𝑜
1.8 × 10−6 𝐶
Φ=
8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 /𝑁𝑚2
𝚽 = 𝟐. 𝟎𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎𝟓 𝑵 ∙ 𝒎𝟐 /𝑪
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
The three small spheres shown in
the figure carry charges q1 = 4.00
nC, q2 = -7.80 nC and q3 = 2.40
nC. Find the net electric flux
through each of the following
closed surfaces (a) S1; (b) S2; (c)
S3; (d) S4; (e) S5.
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
The three small spheres shown in the figure carry charges q1 = 4.00
nC, q2 = -7.80 nC and q3 = 2.40 nC. Find the net electric flux
through each of the following closed surfaces (a) S1; (b) S2; (c) S3;
(d) S4; (e) S5.

For S1: For S2:

𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 = 𝑞1 = 4.00 𝑛𝐶 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 = 𝑞2 = −7.80 𝑛𝐶
𝑞1 𝑞2
ΦS1 = ΦS2 =
𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜
4.00 × 10−9 𝐶 −7.80 × 10−9 𝐶
ΦS1 = ΦS2 =
8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 /𝑁𝑚2 8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 /𝑁𝑚2
𝚽𝐒𝟏 = 𝟒𝟓𝟐 𝐍𝐦𝟐 /𝐂 𝚽𝐒𝟏 = −𝟖𝟖𝟏 𝐍𝐦𝟐 /𝐂
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
The three small spheres shown in the figure carry charges q1 = 4.00
nC, q2 = -7.80 nC and q3 = 2.40 nC. Find the net electric flux
through each of the following closed surfaces (a) S1; (b) S2; (c) S3;
(d) S4; (e) S5.

For S3:
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 = 𝑞1 + 𝑞2 = 4.00 𝑛𝐶 + −7.80 𝑛𝐶 = −3.80 𝑛𝐶
𝑞1 + 𝑞2
ΦS3 =
𝜀𝑜
−3.80 × 10−9 𝐶
ΦS3 =
8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 /𝑁𝑚2
𝚽𝐒𝟑 = −𝟒𝟐𝟗 𝐍𝐦𝟐 /𝐂
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
The three small spheres shown in the figure carry charges q1 = 4.00
nC, q2 = -7.80 nC and q3 = 2.40 nC. Find the net electric flux
through each of the following closed surfaces (a) S1; (b) S2; (c) S3;
(d) S4; (e) S5.

For S4:
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 = 𝑞1 + 𝑞3 = 4.00 𝑛𝐶 + 2.40 𝑛𝐶 = 6.40 𝑛𝐶
𝑞1 + 𝑞3
ΦS4 =
𝜀𝑜
6.40 × 10−9 𝐶
ΦS4 =
8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 /𝑁𝑚2
𝚽𝐒𝟒 = 𝟕𝟐𝟑 𝐍𝐦𝟐 /𝐂
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
The three small spheres shown in the figure carry charges q1 = 4.00
nC, q2 = -7.80 nC and q3 = 2.40 nC. Find the net electric flux
through each of the following closed surfaces (a) S1; (b) S2; (c) S3;
(d) S4; (e) S5.

For S5:
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 = 𝑞1 + 𝑞2 + 𝑞3 = 4.00 𝑛𝐶 − 7.80 𝑛𝐶 + 2.40 𝑛𝐶 = −1.40 𝑛𝐶
𝑞1 + 𝑞2 + 𝑞3
ΦS5 =
𝜀𝑜
−1.40 × 10−9 𝐶
ΦS5 =
8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 /𝑁𝑚2
𝚽𝐒𝟓 = −𝟏𝟓𝟖 𝐍𝐦𝟐 /𝐂
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
The electric field everywhere on the surface
of a thin spherical shell of radius 0.750 m is
measured to be 890 N/C and points radially
toward the center of the sphere. What is the
net charge within the sphere’s surface?
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
The electric field everywhere on the surface of a thin spherical shell of radius 0.750 m is
measured to be 890 N/C and points radially toward the center of the sphere. What is the
net charge within the sphere’s surface?

Given: 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 =? 𝑁
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 = −(8.85 × 10−12 𝐶 2 /𝑁𝑚2 890 4𝜋 0.750 𝑚 2
𝑟 = 0.750 𝑚 𝛷= 𝐶
𝐸 = 890 𝑁/𝐶 𝜀𝑜 𝒒𝒆𝒏𝒄 = −𝟓. 𝟓𝟕 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟖 𝑪
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
−𝐸𝐴 =
𝜀𝑜
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 = −𝜀𝑜 𝐸(4𝜋𝑟 2 )
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
TRY THIS
A butterfly net is in a uniform electric field
of magnitude E = 3.0 mN/C. The rim, a
circle of radius a = 11 cm, is aligned
perpendicular to the field. The net contains
no net charge. Find the electric flux through
the netting.

Answer: -1.1 x 10-4 Nm2/C

 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
The excess charges (which
are at rest) in a conductor
reside entirely on the
surface, not on the interior
of the material.
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
Electric Field of a Charged
Conducting Sphere
We place a positive charge q
on a solid conducting sphere
with radius R. Find 𝐸 inside
and outside the sphere.
Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
Inside the sphere, 𝑟 < 𝑅
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐
Φ= → 𝐸𝐴 = →𝐸= r
𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜 (4𝜋𝑟 2 )
Since 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 = 0,
𝑬=𝟎

Outside the sphere, 𝑟 > 𝑅

𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 r
Φ= → 𝐸𝐴 = →𝐸=
𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜 (4𝜋𝑟 2 )
𝟏 𝒒
𝑬=
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝒐 𝒓𝟐
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
Electric Field of a Line of Charge
Electric charge is distributed
uniformly along an infinitely
long, thin, wire. The charge per
unit length is +𝜆. Find the
electric field.
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
There is no flux through the ends because 𝐸 lies in the
plane of the surface.

For the side walls, 𝐸 is perpendicular to the surface at

each point, hence, 𝜃 = 0𝑜 and the electric field is given
by
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝜆𝑙
Φ= → 𝐸𝐴 = →𝐸= →𝐸=
𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜 2𝜋𝑟𝑙 𝜀𝑜 (2𝜋𝑟𝑙)
𝝀
𝑬=
𝟐𝝅𝜺𝒐 𝒓
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
Electric Field of an Infinite Plane
Sheet of Charge
Find the electric field caused by
a thin, flat, infinite sheet on
which there is a uniform
positive charge per unit area 𝜎.
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
There is no flux through the side walls because the
electric field is parallel to the surface.

For the ends, 𝐸 is perpendicular to the surface, hence,

𝜃 = 0𝑜 and the flux through each end is +𝐸𝐴. Hence,
the electric field is given by
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝜎𝐴
Φ= → 2𝐸𝐴 =
𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜
𝝈
𝑬=
𝟐𝜺𝒐
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
Electric Field of a Uniformly
Charged Sphere
An insulating solid sphere of
radius a has a uniform volume
charge density 𝜌 and carries a
total positive charge 𝑄. Calculate
the magnitude of the electric
field at a point outside and a
inside the sphere.
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW

Outside the sphere, r > a

𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝑄 𝑄
Φ= → 𝐸𝐴 = → 𝐸 =
𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑜 𝜀(4𝜋𝑟 2 )
𝟏 𝑸
𝑬=
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝒐 𝒓𝟐
 Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law
APPLICATIONS OF GAUSS’S LAW
Inside the sphere, r < a,
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐 𝜌𝑉
Φ= →𝐸=
𝜀𝑜 𝜀(4𝜋𝑟 2 )
4
Note: 𝑉 = 𝜋𝑎3
3
4 3
𝜋𝑎 𝜌 𝜌𝑟
𝐸= 3 =
𝜀(4𝜋𝑟 2 ) 3𝜀𝑜
𝑄 𝑄
Note: 𝜌 = = 4 3
𝑉 𝜋𝑎
3
𝟏 𝑸𝒓
𝑬=
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝒐 𝝅𝒂𝟑