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Gauss Law Strategies

This document outlines strategies for using Gauss' law to solve for electric fields produced by symmetrical charge distributions. The key steps are to 1) identify the symmetry of the system, 2) determine the direction of the electric field, 3) divide space into regions, 4) choose an appropriate Gaussian surface such as a sphere or cylinder, 5) calculate the electric flux through the surface, 6) determine the enclosed charge, and 7) apply Gauss' law to solve for the electric field. Examples include infinite line/plane of charge and uniformly charged solid sphere/cylinder.

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sheldon smith
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52 views1 page

Gauss Law Strategies

This document outlines strategies for using Gauss' law to solve for electric fields produced by symmetrical charge distributions. The key steps are to 1) identify the symmetry of the system, 2) determine the direction of the electric field, 3) divide space into regions, 4) choose an appropriate Gaussian surface such as a sphere or cylinder, 5) calculate the electric flux through the surface, 6) determine the enclosed charge, and 7) apply Gauss' law to solve for the electric field. Examples include infinite line/plane of charge and uniformly charged solid sphere/cylinder.

Uploaded by

sheldon smith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Problem Solving Strategies for Symmetrical Charge Distributions

Gauss Law:

q
E E dA encl
0

System

Infinite line of charge

Infinite plane of charge

Uniformly charged
solid sphere

Cylindrical

Planar

Spherical

r>0

z > 0 and z < 0

r a and r a

Figure

Identify the symmetry

Determine the direction of E

Divide the space into different


regions

Choose Gaussian surface

Concentric sphere

Coaxial cylinder
Gaussian pillbox

E E 2rl

Calculate electric flux


Calculate

enclosed

charge

qencl

Apply Gausss law:

qencl 0
to find

Courtesy of MIT

qencl l

2 0 r

E EA EA 2 EA
qencl A

2 0

E E (4r 2 )
qencl

Q(r / a 3 )
Q

ra
ra

Qr
4 0 a 3
Q
4 0 r 2

ra
ra

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