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Week 5+6

1) Gauss's law relates the electric flux through a closed Gaussian surface to the enclosed electric charge. The flux is equal to the enclosed charge divided by the permittivity of free space. 2) Gauss's law can be used to calculate electric fields for symmetric charge distributions by choosing a Gaussian surface that mimics the symmetry. This is easier than calculating the field due to each individual charge. 3) Examples include using a spherical Gaussian surface to derive Coulomb's law for a point charge, and a cylindrical surface to find the field of a line charge.

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42 views23 pages

Week 5+6

1) Gauss's law relates the electric flux through a closed Gaussian surface to the enclosed electric charge. The flux is equal to the enclosed charge divided by the permittivity of free space. 2) Gauss's law can be used to calculate electric fields for symmetric charge distributions by choosing a Gaussian surface that mimics the symmetry. This is easier than calculating the field due to each individual charge. 3) Examples include using a spherical Gaussian surface to derive Coulomb's law for a point charge, and a cylindrical surface to find the field of a line charge.

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Peace of Heart
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Applied Physics

GSC 113

Week 5+6

1
Gauss’ Law
Gauss’s law
 For certain charge distributions involving symmetry, we can
save far more work by using a law called Gauss’ law,
developed by German mathematician and physicist Carl
Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855). Instead of considering the
fields of charge elements in a given charge distribution,
Gauss’ law considers a hypothetical (imaginary) closed
surface enclosing the charge distribution.

 This Gaussian surface, as it is called, can have any shape,


but the shape that minimizes our calculations of the
electric field is one that mimics the symmetry of the
charge distribution.
Gauss’s Law

For example, if the charge is spread uniformly over a sphere, we enclose


the sphere with a spherical Gaussian surface, such as the one in Fig. and
then, as we discuss in this chapter, find the electric field on the surface
by using the fact that
Flux:
We aim a wide airstream of uniform velocity 𝑣ഥ at a small
square loop of area A. Let represent the volume flow rate
(volume per unit time) at which air flows through the loop . This
rate depends on the angle between 𝑣 and the plane of the
loop.
If 𝑣 is perpendicular to the plane, the rate is equal to 𝑣 A.
If 𝑣 is parallel to the plane of the loop, no air moves through the
loop, so  is zero. For an intermediate angle ɵ, the rate
depends on the component of 𝑣ഥ normal to the plane (Fig. 23-
2b). Since that component is v cosɵ, the rate of volume flow
through the loop is
= (v cosɵ)A.
This rate of flow through an area is an example of a flux—a
volume flux in this situation
Before we discuss a flux involved in electrostatics, we need to
rewrite Eq. in terms of vectors. To do this, we first define an area
vector 𝐴 as being a vector whose magnitude is equal to an area
(here the area of the loop) and whose direction is normal to the
plane of the area (Fig. 23-2c).We then rewrite Eq. as the scalar (or
dot) product of the velocity vector of the airstream and the area
vector of the loop:

where ɵ is the angle between 𝐴 and 𝑣


.
The word “flux” comes from the Latin word meaning “to flow.”
That meaning makes sense if we talk about the flow of air volume
through the loop. However, Eq. 23-2 can be regarded in a more abstract
way, as giving the flux of the velocity field through the loop. With this
interpretation , flux no longer means the actual flow of something
through an area— rather it means the product of an area and the field
across that area
Flux:
 Number of Velocity Field lines (as discussed in previous example) passing
through a unit area

 WHERE: θ is the angle between v and A


 Electric Flux: Number of Electric field lines passing through a unit area
 Electric flux calculation for simple surfaces (e.g a plane) is quite easy and the
formula is:
Electric Flux for an arbitrary shape Gaussian
surface:
Electric Flux for an arbitrary shape Gaussian
surface:
 Non uniform Gaussian surface and non-uniform Electric field
 How to calculate overall Electric flux?
 Divide the surface into small squares of area A
 We represent each such element of area with an area vector ΔA
 Generally:

 In the integral form:

 Closed Integral?
Sample Problem: Page 607
Gauss’s Law
Gauss’ law relates the net flux  of an electric field through a closed surface(a
Gaussian surface) to the net charge qenc that is enclosed by that surface. It tells
us that

we can also write Gauss’ law as

The above Equations hold only when the net charge is located in a vacuum or in
air. In Eqs. the net charge qenc is the algebraic sum of all the enclosed positive
and negative charges, and it can be positive, negative, or zero.
The sign tells us something about the net flux through the Gaussian surface:
If qenc is positive, the net flux is outward; if qenc is negative, the net flux is
inward.
Gauss’s Law and Coulomb’s Law
Gauss’s Law & Coulomb’s Law:
 Positive point charge placed in the middle of the
Gaussian surface of radius “r”.
 Lets divide its surface into many differential
areas dA.
 dA at any point is always perpendicular to the
surface and directed outward from the interior.
 At any point on this surface, the Electric field E is
uniform and also perpendicular to the surface.
 Therefore both the Electric Field and the area are
always in the same direction and hence the angle
between them =0
Gauss’s Law & Coulomb’s Law:
 The Integral sign shows that it is adding all the differential areas of the sphere.

 As E is constant and suppose qenc=q

 What is the area of a sphere?


 Area of a sphere = 4πr2
 Hence the expression can be written as:

 Hence we get the coulomb’s law by using Gauss’s law.


Application of Gauss’s Law: Cylindrical Symmetry
 Circumference of the cylinder
 = 2πr
 Height = h
 Area
 = 2πr*h
 The flux through this cylindrical surface is:

 No flux at the caps because θ=900 between E and A


 Therefore the flux through the cylindrical surface is:

 Charge enclosed by the surface = λh (charge/unit length * total length)


Application of Gauss’s Law: Cylindrical Symmetry
 According to Gauss’s law:

 This is the electric field due to an infinitely long, straight line of charge, at a point that is a
radial distance r from the line.
Application of Gauss’s Law: Planar Symmetry
 Finite, thin, non-conducting sheet with uniform (positive)
surface charge density σ
 No flux on the curved surface. (since the angle between E and A
=900)
 Considering the both cap ends, the E and A are in the same
direction i.e θ=00
 Therefore, according to Gauss’s law:

 Hence, the Electric field is given by:


Application of Gauss’s Law: Two Conducting Plates
 Bring both of the oppositely charged plates to form the below figure
 Since 1 plate has charge density σ.
 The charge density between the 2 plates would be 2σ.
 Excess charge moves towards the boundaries as shown in the figure.
 Hence the Electric field at any point in between the plates is:

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