Chapter 22: Gauss’s Law

So far, we determined the electric field for any discrete or continuous distribution
of charge by Coulomb’s law. On the other hand, Gauss’s Law is an alternative
method to determine the electric field for highly symmetric objects.

Gauss’s Law indicates that « the net electric flux  for any closed surface equals
to the net charge Q enclosed by the surface divided by permittivity of space, 0 »

𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅
=
𝟎

Electric Flux (): Electric flux is a number of electric field lines passing
through any surface.

 = ⃗𝑬
⃗ .𝑨
̂

Here A is surface normal. Magnitude equals to cross section area. Direction is

always perpendicular to surface.
 𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅
= 𝟎
(1)

 = ∫ ⃗𝑬
⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
⃗⃗ (2)

➢ (1) and (2) indicate : ∮ ⃗𝑬 ⃗⃗ = 𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅

⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
𝟎
 ➢ Applications of Gauss’s law :

• Electric field of a point charge : Assume that a point charge. Find electric
field at a distance r by Gauss’s law.

Closed spherical gaussian surface with radius r

𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅
⃗⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
∮𝑬 ⃗⃗ =
𝟎
E is perpendicular to surface and constant at all distance r.
dA is perpendicular to surface. So their scalar product equals to 1.
𝑸
E 4πr2 =
𝟎
𝑸
⃗𝑬
⃗= 𝒓̂
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝟎 𝒓𝟐

Qenc=+Q
∮ 𝒅𝑨 = 𝑨=4πr2 (Area of sphere)

➢ Surface integral in spherical coordinate :

𝝅 𝟐𝝅
∫ 𝒅𝑨 = ∫𝟎 𝒓𝟐 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽𝒅𝜽 ∫𝟎 𝒅𝝋 = 𝟒𝝅𝒓𝟐
 • Electric field of a thin spherical shell distribution of charge :

Assume that a thin spherical shell : The net charge is Q and radius is R.

Find electric field for points a) inside the shell (r<R) and b)outside the shell (r>R).

➢ a)For region r<R : Here it is possible to choose a closed spherical

Gaussian surface (red shell) with radius r.

R
r

The net charge Q is distrubuted over the surface with radius R.

So, the enclosed charge inside the gaussian surface with radius r is zero.

Qenc=0
𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅
⃗⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
∮𝑬 ⃗⃗ =
𝟎

E=0 (inside the shell)

b) For region r>R :

R
r The enclosed charge is Q for red shell.

𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅
∮ ⃗𝑬
⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
⃗⃗ =
𝟎
𝑸
𝑬𝟒𝝅𝒓𝟐 =
𝜺𝟎
𝑸
⃗𝑬
⃗ = 𝒓̂
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝟎 𝒓𝟐

• Electric field of a spherically symetric charge distribution :Assume that a

solid sphere with radius R and net charge Q. It has uniform volume mass
density. Find electric field for points a) inside the sphere (r<R) and b)
outside the sphere (r>R).

➢ a) For points inside the sphere r<R : Here it is possible to choose a

closed spherical Gaussian surface with radius r.

Q is the charge for sphere with radius R

r R Q’ is the charge for sphere with radius r (for gaussian sphere)

Qenc
 𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑸′
⃗⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
∮𝑬 ⃗⃗ = =
𝟎 𝜺𝟎

The enclosed charge inside the gaussian sphere with radius r equals to Q’.

𝑸′ 𝑸′
𝝆= =
𝑽′ 𝟒 𝝅𝒓𝟑
𝟑
𝑸 𝑸
𝝆= =
𝑽 𝟒 𝝅𝑹𝟑
𝟑

𝒓𝟑
𝑸′ = 𝑸 enclosed charge for the region r<R
𝑹𝟑

𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑸′
∮ ⃗𝑬
⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
⃗⃗ = =
𝟎 𝜺𝟎
𝑸′
E 𝟒𝝅𝒓𝟐 = 𝜺𝟎
𝑸𝒓
E= 𝟒𝝅𝜺𝟎 𝑹𝟑
a) For region outside the sphere r>R :

r
Qenc =Q

𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅
⃗⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
∮𝑬 ⃗⃗ =
𝟎
𝑸
𝑬𝟒𝝅𝒓𝟐 =
𝜺𝟎
𝑸
⃗𝑬
⃗ = 𝒓̂
𝟒𝝅𝜺𝟎 𝒓𝟐
 • Electric field for infinite line distribution of charge : The net charge is Q.
Find electric field at a distance r from the line distribution of charge. This
system has cylindrical symmetry.

𝑸 𝑸
= =
𝑳 𝒍

𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅
⃗⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
∮𝑬 ⃗⃗ =
𝟎
∮ 𝒅𝑨 = 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝒍 for cylindrical coordinate ; Qenc=𝒍 linear charge density
𝒍
E 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝒍 =
𝟎

E =
𝟐𝝅𝜺𝟎 𝒓
• Electric field for an infinite plane sheet of charge : From Chapter 21 :
remember example 21.12

𝑸𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅
⃗⃗ . 𝒅𝑨
∮𝑬 ⃗⃗ =
𝟎

𝑸
EA+EA =
𝜺𝟎

𝑨
2EA =
𝟎

E=
𝟐 𝟎
 • Electric field between oppositely charged parallel plates :

𝝈
E1 = E2 =
𝟐𝜺𝟎
𝝈
For region a and region c net field is zero. At region b the net field is 𝑬 =
𝜺𝟎
Conductor Conductor with a Conductor with a cavity and
cavity if there is a point charge
Einside=0 inside the cavity :
Einside=0
The net charge of conductor
will be reorganized to get

Einside=0.
Q for conductor : +7nC

The charge in the cavity : -5nC

To determine the net E=0 inside conductor : Charges will be reorganized.

The charge on the inner surface of conductor should be +5nC.

The charge on the outer surface of the conductor will be +2nC to get the net charge
on the conductor +7nC.

Qinner + Qouter = Qconductor

5 + 2 = 7