Chapter 24
Gausss Law
SECTIONS 1, 2, 3, AND 4
24.1 Electric Flux (Definition)
Electric flux is the product of
the magnitude of the electric
field and the surface area, A,
perpendicular to the field
E = EA Cos (= dot product between E and A)
Where is the angle between E and A
here =0, thus Cos =1
The flux is a maximum when the surface is
perpendicular to the field
The flux is zero when the surface is parallel to the field
If the field varies over the surface, = EA cos is
valid for only a small element of the area
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Electric Flux, General
In the more general case, look
at a small area element
The flux due to the small piece is :
E Ei A
i cos
r
r
Ei A i
For the whole surface the flux is :
E lim
Ai
Ai 0
r r
E E dA
surface
Remember this equation
The surface integral means the integral must be evaluated over the surface in question
In general, the value of the flux will depend both on the field pattern and on the surface
The units of electric flux is N.m2/C
Example 24.1:Flux Through a Cube
The field lines pass through two
surfaces perpendicularly and are
parallel to the other four surfaces
(use the equation of the previous
slide for both surfaces (1 and 2)
For side 1, = -El 2
(why negative ?)
For side 2, = El 2
For the other sides, E = 0
Therefore, total = 0
Since the net charge INSIDE the
cube is zero so the total flux
should be equal to zero (will see
that when we take Gauss law)
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24.2: Gausss Law, Introduction
Gausss law is an expression of the general relationship
between the net electric flux through a closed surface
and the charge enclosed by the surface
The closed surface is often called a gaussian surface
Represent the NET charge
inside the Gaussian surface
dA : is a small area chosen on the Gaussian surface
Gausss law is of fundamental importance in the study of electric fields
The net flux through any closed surface surrounding a point charge, q,
is given by q/o and is independent of the shape of that surface
Left hand side of the equation is simply the total (net) electric flux through the Gaussian Surface
1777 1855
Made contributions in
Electromagnetism, Number theory, Statistics, Non-Euclidean geometry, Cometary orbital mechanics
A founder of the German Magnetic Union
Studies the Earths magnetic field
Gausss Law Summary
Gausss law states
qin is the net charge inside the surface
E represents the electric field at any point on the surface
Although Gausss law can, in theory, be solved to find
for any charge configuration, in practice it is limited to
symmetric situations.
Remember the integration is over the Gaussian surface.
The net electric flux through a closed surface that surrounds no
charge is zero (that is why the result was = zero ..see example 24.1)
24.3: Applying Gausss Law
To use Gausss law, you want to choose a Gaussian surface over
which the surface integral can be simplified and the electric field
determined
How we choose Gaussian surface ?Take advantage of symmetry
(examples will be given in class)
Try to choose a Gaussian surface that make the calculation of the
left hand side (the integral) an easy one.
For example if E and dA are parallel to each other then
Cos (the angle) will be simply equal to 1.
If E and dA are perpendicular to each other the integral gives zero
Note that the integral is over the WHOLE Gaussian surface.
Remember, the gaussian surface is a surface you choose, it does
not have to coincide with the real surface given in the question.
Example 24.3.. Cont.
Inside the sphere, E varies
linearly with r
E 0 as r 0
The field outside the sphere
is equivalent to that of a
point charge located at the
center of the sphere
(remember this is NOT a
conducting sphere)
NO E inside conductor in
electrostatic equilibrium.
Nonconducting (Insulating)
Charged sphere.
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Properties of a Conductor in
Electrostatic Equilibrium
Property 1: The electric field is zero everywhere inside
any charged conductor
Whether the conductor is solid or hollow
Property 2: If an isolated conductor carries a charge, the
charge resides on its surface (airplane inside cloud)
Property 3: The electric field just outside a charged conductor is
perpendicular to the surface and has a magnitude of /o is the
surface charge density at that point
On an irregularly shaped conductor, the surface charge density is
greatest at locations where the radius of curvature is the smallest
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Property 1: Fieldinside = 0
Consider a conducting slab in an external field
If the field inside the conductor were not zero,
free electrons in the conductor would
experience an electrical force
These electrons would accelerate
These electrons would not be in equilibrium
Therefore, there cannot be a field inside the
conductor
Before the external field is applied, free electrons are distributed throughout
the conductor
When the external field is applied, the electrons redistribute until the
magnitude of the internal field equals the magnitude of the external field
There is a net field of zero inside the conductor
This redistribution takes about 10-16s and can be considered instantaneous
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Property 2: Charge Resides
on the Surface
Choose a gaussian surface inside but close to
the actual surface
The electric field inside is zero (property 1)
There is no net flux through the gaussian
surface
Because the gaussian surface can be as close
to the actual surface as desired, there can be
no charge inside the surface
Since no net charge can be inside the surface, any net
charge must reside on the surface
Gausss law does not indicate the distribution of these
charges, only that it must be on the surface of the
conductor
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Property 3: Fields Magnitude
and Direction
Choose a cylinder as the gaussian surface
The field must be perpendicular to the surface
If there were a parallel component to
,
charges would experience a force and
accelerate along the surface and it would not
be in equilibrium
The net flux through the gaussian surface is
through only the flat face outside the conductor
The field here is perpendicular to the surface
Applying Gausss law
E EA
and E
o
o
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