CHAPTER 2
GAUSS'S LAW
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QUESTIONS
Choose the correct answer justifying your choice:
1) The SI units of the electric flux are ……..
(a) N.m/C (b) N/C (c) N.m2/C (d) N.m3/C
2) A point charge is placed at the center of a spherical surface. The electric flux
through this surface is changed ……………
(a) if a second point charge is placed outside the surface.
(b) if the radius of the surface is increased.
(c) if the charge is moved to a point near the surface.
(d) if a second point charge is placed inside the surface.
3) A point charge q is placed at the center a cube. The electric flux through any one
side of the cube ………
(a) is zero (b) is q/ε0 (c) is q/6ε0
(d) cannot be computed using Gauss’ law
4) A point charge q is placed inside a cube but not at its center. The electric flux
through any one side of the cube ………
(a) is zero (b) is q/ε0 (c) is q/6ε0
(d) cannot be computed using Gauss’ law
5) The electric field inside a conductor is ………..
(a) constant (b) positive (c) zero (d) negative
6) Which of the following graphs represents the magnitude of the electric field as a
function of the distance from the center of a solid charged conducting sphere of
radius R?
(a) (b) (c) (d)
7) A spherical conducting shell of inner and outer radii a and b, respectively. If a
charge –Q is placed at its center, the electric field at a distance a < r < b is
…………
(a) zero (b) directed radially outward
(c) directed radially inward (d) tangential to a spherical surface
8) 10 C of charge are placed on a spherical conducting shell. A particle with a charge
of −3C is placed at the center of the cavity. The net charge on the inner surface of
the shell is ……
(a) +7C (b) −3C (c) 0C (d) +3C
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Chapter 2 Gauss's Law
9) 10 C of charge are placed on a spherical conducting shell. A particle with a charge
of −3C is placed at the center of the cavity. The net charge on the outer surface of
the shell is ……
(a) +7C (b) −3C (c) 0C (d) +3C
10) Charge is distributed uniformly on the surface of a large flat plate. The electric
field 2 cm from the plate is 30N/C. The electric field 4 cm from the plate is
…………
(a) 120N/C (b) 80N/C (c) 30N/C (d) 15N/C
11) A conducting sheet is placed in the x-y plane and carries a negative charge density.
The electric field at the point (0, 0, –1) is in …………………....
(a) the positive x direction (b) the negative y direction.
(c) the positive y direction (d)the positive z direction.
12) A conducting sheet is placed in the x-y plane and carries a negative charge density.
The electric field at the point (0, 0, 1) is in …………………....
(a) the positive x direction (b) the negative z direction
(c) the positive y direction (d) the positive z direction.
13) Two charges of 15 pC and -40 pC are inside a cube with sides that are of 0.40-m
length. Determine the net electric flux through the surface of the cube.
a b c d e
+2.8 N m2/C 1.1 N m2/C +1.1 N m2/C 2.8 N m2/C 0.47 N m2/C
14) A charge q is enclosed as shown in all figure, the electric flux is
a b c d e
max in (i) max in (ii) max in (iii) equal in all None of them
15) Shown below is a distribution of charges. The flux of electric field due to these
charges through the surface S is
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Chapter 2 Gauss's Law
a b c d e
3q / ε0 2q / ε0 q / ε0 0 none of these
EXCERCISES & PROBLEMS
The permittivity of free space ε0 = 8.854×10-12 C2/ N.m2 or F/m.
The coulomb constant k = 9 ×109 N.m2/C2.
1. An electric field with a magnitude of 3.5 kN/C is applied along the x axis. Calculate
the electric flux through a rectangular plane 0.35 m wide and 0.7 m long if (a) the
plane is parallel to the yz plane; (b) the plane is parallel to the xy plane; and (c) the
plane contains the y axis, and its normal makes an angle of 40° with the x axis.
2. A 40.0-cm-diameter loop is rotated in a uniform electric field until the position of
maximum electric flux is found. The flux in this position is measured to be 5.20×105
N.m2/C. What is the magnitude of the electric field?
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Chapter 2 Gauss's Law
3. Four closed surfaces, S1 through S4, together with the
charges –2Q, Q, and –Q are sketched in Figure P2.4.
Find the electric flux through each surface.
Figure P1.4
4. A point charge of 12 μC is placed at the center of a spherical shell of radius 22 cm.
What is the total electric flux through (a) the surface of the shell and (b) any
hemispherical surface of the shell? (c) Do the results depend on the radius? Explain.
5. A charge of 170 μC is at the center of a cube of side 80 cm. (a) Find the total flux
through each face of the cube. (b) Find the flux through the whole surface of the
cube. (c) Would your answers to parts (a) or (b) change if the charge were not at the
center? Explain.
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Chapter 2 Gauss's Law
6. Charge Q is uniformly distributed in a sphere of radius R. (a) What fraction of the
charge is contained within the radius r = R/2? (b) What is the ratio of the electric
field magnitude at r = R/2 to that on the surface of the sphere?
7. The total electric flux through a closed surface in the shape of a cylinder is 8.6×104
N.m2/C. (a) What is the net charge within the cylinder? (b) From the information
given, what can you say about the charge within the cylinder? (c) How would your
answers to parts (a) and (b) change if the net flux were –8.6×104 N.m2/C?
(b) Since the net flux is positive, the net charge must be positive. It
can have any distribution.
(c) The net charge would have the same magnitude but be negative.
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Chapter 2 Gauss's Law
8. A long, straight metal rod has a radius of 5 cm and a charge per unit length of 30
nC/m. Find the electric field (a) 3 cm, (b) 10 cm, and (c) 100 cm from the axis of the
rod, where distances are measured perpendicular to the rod.
9. A thin conducting plate 50 cm on a side lies in the xy plane. If a total charge of
4.0×10-8 C is placed on the plate, find (a) the charge density on the plate, (b) the
electric field just above the plate, and (c) the electric field just below the plate
10. A solid conducting sphere of radius 2 cm has a charge 8 μC. A conducting spherical
shell of inner radius 4 cm and outer radius 5 cm is concentric with the solid sphere
and has a charge –4 μC. Find the electric field at (a) r = 1 cm, (b) r = 3 cm, (c) r =
4.5 cm, and (d) r = 7 cm from the center of this charge configuration.
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