Contents

Electric Field Lines

Electric Flux

Gauss Law & Its Applications

 Contents

Electric Field Lines

 Electric field lines

These lines are also known as Electric Lines

of Force (ELOF)
ELOF originate from positive charge and
terminate at negative charge
Tangent at any point on ELOF gives
direction of electric field
Do not form closed loop
For two charges, ELOF are always symmetric
about line joining two charges
Electric field lines
ELOF are always perpendicular to the surface of charged body
For an isolated charge ELOF terminate at infinity
Magnitude of charge is directly proportional to number of ELOF
originating or terminating at charge
 Electric field lines
ELOF do not cross each other as there cannot be two
direction of 𝐸 at a single point
Uniform and Non-uniform electric field
𝐸𝐶

𝐸𝐴

𝐸𝐵

𝐸𝐶
𝐸𝐴

𝐸𝐵
 Electric field lines
For Conductors (free electrons)

𝑞𝐸
𝐸
 Electric field lines
ELOF never enter inside conductor ELOF exist in insulator (no free electrons)

Electrostatic Shielding

No
𝐸 Electric Field
 Contents

Electric Field Lines

Electric Flux
 Electric Flux 𝐸

Measurement of electric flux

Area = 𝑆
Electric flux passing through 𝑆 sin 𝜃 = 0 𝜃 𝑆 cos 𝜃

Electric flux passing through 𝑆 cos 𝜃 = 𝜙

𝑆 sin 𝜃
⇒ 𝜙 = 𝐸 𝑆 cos 𝜃

𝜃 𝐸
Thus, 𝜙 = 𝐸. 𝑆Ԧ
𝜃
Area Vector
𝑆Ԧ
Electric Field
 Electric Flux 𝐸
𝑆Ԧ2
Positive and negative flux
𝜙1 = 𝐸. 𝑆Ԧ1 = 𝐸𝑆1 cos 𝜃
𝜃 𝐸
(+𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑥, flux is coming out)
𝑆Ԧ1

𝜙2 = 𝐸. 𝑆Ԧ2 𝑆Ԧ2
𝜋−𝜃
= 𝐸𝑆2 cos( 𝜋 − 𝜃)
= −𝐸𝑆2 cos 𝜃
𝜃 𝐸
(−𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑥, flux is entering)
𝑆Ԧ1
 A square surface of side 𝐿 (𝑚) is placed in a uniform electric field 𝐸 (𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡/𝑚) acting
along the same plane at an angle 𝜃 with the horizontal side of the square. The electric
flux linked to the surface, in units of 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡. 𝑚 is
QUESTION
AIPMT 2010
𝜃
𝐴 𝐸𝐿2

𝐸
𝐵 𝐸𝐿2 cos 𝜃

𝐶 𝐸𝐿2 cos 𝜃

𝐷 𝑍𝑒𝑟𝑜
 A square surface of side 𝐿 (𝑚) is placed in a uniform electric field 𝐸 (𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡/𝑚) acting
along the same plane at an angle 𝜃 with the horizontal side of the square. The electric
flux linked to the surface, in units of 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡. 𝑚 is
SOLUTION

𝐸
 A square surface of side 𝐿 (𝑚) is placed in a uniform electric field 𝐸 (𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡/𝑚) acting
along the same plane at an angle 𝜃 with the horizontal side of the square. The electric
flux linked to the surface, in units of 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡. 𝑚 is
QUESTION
AIPMT 2010
𝜃
𝐴 𝐸𝐿2

𝐸
𝐵 𝐸𝐿2 cos 𝜃

𝐶 𝐸𝐿2 cos 𝜃

𝐷 𝑍𝑒𝑟𝑜
 Contents

Electric Field Lines

Electric Flux

Gauss Law & Its Applications

 Gauss’s law Net electric flux through a closed surface is
1
times the net
𝜀0
charge enclosed by the surface

𝑞enclosed
Mathematical form of Gauss law :

𝜙𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ර 𝐸 . 𝑑𝐴Ԧ
𝑞𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑
⇒ ර 𝐸 . 𝑑𝐴Ԧ =
𝜀0
Gaussian surface
𝑞enclosed
𝜙 𝑛𝑒𝑡 =
𝜀0

Electric flux is independent of the size and

shape of the gaussian surface.
Gauss’s law
Gauss’s law is always applicable to any closed surface but not always useful
Essential properties of useful gaussian surface:
Angle between 𝐸 and 𝑑𝐴Ԧ must be same at all point of gaussian surface (𝜃 = 0° 𝑜𝑟 90°)
Electric field must be symmetric and same at all point on the gaussian surface

+∞ +∞

+++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++
𝐸
𝑞 𝑟
𝑟 𝐸
𝐸

−∞ −∞
 Gauss’s law

𝑞 𝑞 𝑞
𝜙cylinder = 𝜙sphere = 𝜙cube =
𝜀0 𝜀0 𝜀0

𝑞 𝑞
𝑞 𝑎/2

𝑎
𝑎

𝑞 𝑞 𝑞
𝜙semi−cylinder = 𝜙hemi−sphere = 𝜙each face =
2𝜀0 2𝜀0 6𝜀0
 A charge of 12 𝑝𝐶 is placed at a distance of 10 𝑐𝑚 directly above the centre of a
square of side 20 𝑐𝑚. What is the magnitude of electric flux through the square?
QUESTION
AIIMS 2017
𝐴 2 𝑁
2.70 × 10 𝑚2
𝐶

𝑁
𝐵 0.225 𝑚2
𝐶

𝑁
𝐶 1. 35 𝑚2
𝐶

𝑁
𝐷 0.225 × 10−2 𝑚2
𝐶
 A charge of 12 𝑝𝐶 is placed at a distance of 10 𝑐𝑚 directly above the centre of a square of side
20 𝑐𝑚. What is the magnitude of electric flux through the square?
𝑞
SOLUTION
𝜙 cube =
𝜀0
𝑞
Total no. of faces of a cube = 6 (squares)
10 𝑐𝑚
𝑞
𝜙square =
6𝜀0
20 𝑐𝑚
12 × 10−12
𝜙square =
6 × 8.854 × 10−12
𝑁 2
𝜙square = 0.225 𝑚
𝐶
 A charge of 12 𝑝𝐶 is placed at a distance of 10 𝑐𝑚 directly above the centre of a
square of side 20 𝑐𝑚. What is the magnitude of electric flux through the square?
QUESTION
AIIMS 2017
𝑁
𝐴 2.70 × 102 𝑚2
𝐶

𝑁
𝐵 0.225 𝑚2
𝐶

𝑁
𝐶 1. 35 𝑚2
𝐶

−2 𝑁
𝐷 0.225 × 10 𝑚2
𝐶
Applications of Gauss’s law
Electric field due to an infinitely
long uniformly charged wire Large uniformly charged sheet

𝑞𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒
𝜎= Area (𝐴𝑐 )
𝐴𝑐
𝑥

𝜆 2𝑘𝜆 𝜎
𝐸= = 𝐸=
2𝜋𝜀0 𝑟 𝑟 2𝜀0
 Applications of Gauss’s law
Electric field due to Thin spherical Shell 𝑞inside
𝜎=
Inside Sphere (𝑟 < 𝑅) Outside Sphere (𝑟 > 𝑅) 𝐴

𝐸=0 For 𝑟 < 𝑅 𝑘𝑄

𝐸= 2 For 𝑟 > 𝑅
𝑟

Note: No electric field lines are present inside the sphere here
 Find out the electric field intensity between the plates.

QUESTION
𝜎 𝜎 2𝜎 AIIMS 2016
𝐴
2𝜀𝑜

𝜎
𝐵
𝜀𝑜

𝐶 0

3𝜎
𝐷
2𝜀𝑜
 𝜎 2𝜎 𝜎 2𝜎

SOLUTION
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐸𝐴 𝑖Ƹ + 𝐸𝐵 −𝑖Ƹ
𝐸𝐵 𝐸𝐴
𝜎 2𝜎
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑡 = −
2𝜀𝑜 2𝜀𝑜

𝐴 𝐵

𝜎
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑡 =
2𝜀𝑜
 Find out the electric field intensity between the plates.

QUESTION
𝜎 2𝜎 AIIMS 2016
𝜎
𝐴
2𝜀𝑜

𝜎
𝐵
𝜀𝑜

𝐶 0

3𝜎
𝐷
2𝜀𝑜