Gauss’s Law

Chapter 2
SLIDESMANIA.COM
 → In Order to determine the
SLIDESMANIA.COM

content of the box, we only need

to measure 𝐸 in the surface.
 → Amount of electric field that
passes (“flows”) through the
surface.
SLIDESMANIA.COM
 ➢The direction of the flux depends on the sign of the charge enclosed
➢ Charges outside the surface do not give flux through the surface
SLIDESMANIA.COM

➢ The net electric flux is proportional to the amount of charge enclosed within the
surface but independent of the size of the surface
 -> fluid flow analogy

dV  
=vA
dt  
E = E  A electric flux for
uniform E

 E = EA cos  magnitude

 
 E =  E  dA Non-uniform
electric field
SLIDESMANIA.COM
 -> the vector A is directed perpendicular to the surface (always)

SLIDESMANIA.COM

A = Anˆ
-> the direction of the area vector must be specified if the surface is not closed
SLIDESMANIA.COM
SLIDESMANIA.COM
SLIDESMANIA.COM
 q1q2
F =k 2
r 1
𝑘= , 𝑘 = 9.0 x 109 N•m2 / C2
4𝜋ϵ0
ϵ0 – permittivity of free space
1
ϵ0 = = 8.85 x 10-12 C2 /N•m2
4π𝑘
Charge on one electron: e = - 1.602 x 10-19 C
Charge on a proton: +e
SLIDESMANIA.COM
SLIDESMANIA.COM
 A point charge 𝑞 = +5.0 𝑛𝐶 is
surrounded by an imaginary
sphere of radius 𝑟 = 0.50 𝑚
centered on the charge (Fig.
22.9). Find the resulting
electric flux through the
sphere.
SLIDESMANIA.COM
 Assignment: Electric Flux through a cube
SLIDESMANIA.COM
Editable Icons
SLIDESMANIA.COM