Electric Flux Density - 1

Consider a point charge located at the origin

E Q
E  ar
4 0 r 2

Q
D efine flux density vect or
D  0E
Q
D ar [C /m 2 ]
4 r 2
Unit:
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/22
 Electric Flux Density - 2
[C/m 2]
‫݋‬
is independent of the medium

Point charge:

Q Q  r  r ' Q Q  r  r '
E= 2 aR  D= 2 aR 
4 o R 4 o r  r '
3
4 R 4 r  r '
3

Line charge:
L L
E= a D= a
2 o  2

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/23

 Electric Flux - 1

   DdS [C] : for open surf

s

Open Surface

Closed Surface
   DdS [C] : for closed surf
S

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/24

 Electric Flux - 2
Find the flux from a point charge going out through a spherical
surface of radius

z    D  dS
S

D    Dar  ar dS
S

Q
 Q 
y     a r   ar dS
 4 r
2
S S 
Q Q
x   dS   4 r 2

S
4 r 2 4 r 2

an = a r Q [C]
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/25
 Gauss’s Law - 1

The charge q is inside both

surfaces .

 = N ( all flux lines go through )

S1
S2
The number of flux lines through

q N flux lines    D  dS  q  
 D  dS
S1 S2

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/26

 Gauss’s Law - 2

The charge q is now outside the surface

NS = 0

   D  dS  0
S

q
To summarize both cases,
S
   D  dS  Qencl
S

Any charge outside the surface does not contribute to the flux through the
surface.
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/27
 Gauss’s Law - 3

Gauss’s Law States that the flux going through any

closed surface is equal to the total enclosed charge
by this surface no matter its shape is.
-field lines

   D  dS  Qencl
S

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/28

 Gauss’s Law - 4
If the Gaussian surface has no enclosed charge, then the flux is zero.

Outgoing flux   ve sign  net   q  is enclosed

Ingoing flux   ve sign  net   q  is enclosed

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/29

Example2.5:

2q
q -q

S1 S2

 D  dS  q?
S1
 D DdSdS q? q  0 Note: E  0 on S2 !
S2 S2

Note: charge 2q produces E on S1 and S2 even though it does

not appear on the RHS of Gauss’s law.
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/30
An electric dipole
(+q and –q, small distance d apart)
sits centered in a Gaussian sphere. q -q

What can you say about the flux of E through the

sphere, and |E| on the sphere?
A) Flux=0, E=0 everywhere on sphere surface
B) Flux =0, E need not be zero everywhere on sphere
C) Flux is not zero, E=0 everywhere on sphere
D) Flux is not zero, E need not be zero…

CORRECT ANSWER: B
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/31
 Why Gauss’s Law

 D  dS  Q
S
encl    v dv

Gauss’s Law is used to find electric field for problems

having symmetric charge distribution where it is
difficult to use Coulomb’s law to handle these
problems.

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/32

 Choice of Gaussian Surface - 1
Rule 1: S must be a closed surface

Rule 2: From the symmetry of charge distribution

deduce the direction of

Rule 3: Pick S such that its faces are either  or || to E.

Rule 4: Component of E  to S must be constant

E

 D  dS  Q
S
encl an

ES
S
 an  E  an  E  E  const.
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/33
 Choice of Gaussian Surface - 2

We have only three kinds of symmetry that work:

1. Spherical symmetry: Make your Gaussian surface a

concentric sphere.

2. Cylindrical symmetry: Make your Gaussian surface

a coaxial cylinder.

3. Plane symmetry: Use a Gaussian "pillbox," which

straddles the surface.

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/34

 z

Example2.6: Find E(r) everywhere v =v0

Solution: a
x
For r > a

 D  dS  Q encl
S r
Qencl   v dV a
V

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/35

 Example2.6: ctd

Qencl   v 0 dV

 D  dS    D ar   ar dS
V
r
S S
Qencl  v 0  dV
V
 D  dS   D
S S
r dS
4 3
Qencl  v 0   a   Dr  dS
3  r
S
Q a

 D  d S = Dr  4 r 2

S

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/36

 Example2.6: ctd

Hence

4 3
Dr  4 r   v 0   a 
2
Note: u can prove that
3 
Q
 a3  E  ar
Dr  v 0  2  4 0 r 2
 3r 
4 
Q  v 0   a3 
v 0 a 3
E  ar  V/m 3 
3 0 r 2
The electric field outside
the sphere of charge is the
same as from a point
charge at origin.
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/37
 Example2.6: ctd

Solution (r < a)

r<a
 D  dS  Qencl
S

4 3
S r
D dS   v0 
3
r 

r

4 
Dr  dS  v 0   r 3  a
S 3 

4 3
So Dr  4 r   v 0   r 
2

3   r 
E  ar  v 0   [V/m]
r  3 0 
Dr   v 0  
 3
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/38
 Example2.6: ctd
z
Summary:
(r < a) v =v0

 r  y
E  ar  v 0   [V/m]
 3 0  a
Er x
(r > a)

v0 a3
E  ar  V/m  v0 a/ 30
3 0 r 2
Q
 
4 v 0 a 3 / 3
 ar  V/m  a r
4 0 r 2

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/39

Example 2.7: Find due to an infinite wire of uniform line
charge density C/m

Solution:

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/40

 Example 2.8: Find the electric
field due to an infinite plane with E
uniform surface charge density
ଶ located on the plane.
௢

Solution:

As the charge is uniformly E

distributed on the surface, the
electric field must point
perpendicularly away from the
plane. The magnitude of the The electric field must
electric field is constant on point perpendicularly away
planes parallel to the non- from the plane
conducting plane.

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/42

 D dS1
the plane of charge

Gaussian surface Pillbox

dS3

 D  dS  Qenc
s

The surface is split into three parts

 D  dS   D  dS   D  dS   D  dS  Qenc dS2
s S1 S2 S3 D

is the
 D  dS  DA  DA  0  o A area of the
s
top or base
o o
D  E
2 2 o
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/43
 Example 2.9: Find the electric field due to a non-uniform infinite
cylinder of radius and volume charge density ଶ ଷ. Its axis
௢
coincides with the z axis.
z
Solution: a

As the charge varies

only with 
pointing in the
radial direction y
L
Gaussian surface
x
S
 D  dS  Qenc
s

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/44

 Example 2.9: ctd
For  < a
L 2  
Qenc     o   d  d dz
2 S
0 0 0

4
 2 L  o   d   2 L o
2

4 L
0

1
  Lo  4
2
 D  dS  Qenc   D a  dS = Qenc
s

1
 D a  dS = Qen  2 LD   L o  4
2
o  3 o  3
D a  E a a
4 4 o
Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/45
Example 2.9: ctd

For  > a 
L 2 a
Qenc     o  2  d  d dz r
0 0 0
L
1
  Lo a 4
2

1 S
 D a  dS = Qen  2 LD   L o a 4
2

o a 4 o a 4
D a  E a a
4 4 o 

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/46

 Integration of even and odd functions

xo x
I   dx
2 3/ 2
0
 xo 2
x a
xo x2 xo x2
I   dx
2 3/ 2
 2  dx
2 3/ 2
 xo 2
x a 0 2
x a

Dr Alaa K. Abdelmageed Eng. Math & Phy Dep., Cairo U Elect/47

 Tabulated Integrals
2
dx 1 x x dx
   2 
(x  a )
2 2 3/2 2
a x a 2 2
(x  a ) 2 3/2

xdx 1 x  x 2
 a 2
x
   ln[ ] 
(x 2  a 2 )3/ 2 x 2  a2 a x2  a2
dx
  ln[(x / a )  1  (x / a ) 2 ] x 2  a 2 dx 
x 2  a2 1
 

2
 2
 2
 2
 2 
)
dx x 2 x x a a ln( x x a
  ln   1  (x / a )  2
x 2  a2 a  1 3
 cos  d  sin   sin 
3
xdx 3
  x 2
 a 2

x 2  a2 1 
 cos  d  sin 2 
2

dx 1 1 4 2
 2  tan (x / a ) 1 
x a a 2
 sin  d   sin 2 
2

4 2