COURSE: PHYSICS II

Part 1 ELECTROMAGNETISM

Lecture 2 GAUSS’S LAW

Dr Baye Alioune Ndiogou

 Learning Goals

• To use the electric field at a surface to determine the charge within the
surface
• To learn the meaning of electric flux and how to calculate it
• To learn the relationship between the electric flux through a surface
and the charge within the surface
• To use Gauss’s law to calculate electric fields
• To learn where the charge on a conductor is located

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 Introduction

• Would the girl’s hair

stand on end if she were
inside the metal sphere?
• Symmetry properties
play an important role in
physics.
• Gauss’s law will allow us
to do electric-field
calculations using
symmetry principles.

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 BASIC CONCEPTS

Notion of open and closed surfaces

A rectangle is an open surface —it does

NOT contain a volume
A sphere is a closed surface —it DOES
contain a volume

Notion of an area element dA of the

closed surface

For closed surface, 𝑑 𝐴Ԧ is normal to surface

and points outward (from inside to outside)

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 ELECTRIC FLUX

ELECTRIC FLUX: is how many electric field lines cross a surface or pass through a area.
1- Electric flux through an open surface:
For a uniform electric field E passing through
an area A, the electric flux, φE is defined as:
Dot product

𝐄 is uniform
Unit of the flux is Nm2/C

2- Electric flux through a closed surface:

In the more general case of non uniform electric field E
and non flat surface (such as a closed surface—a surface
of any shape that completely encloses a volume of space. A closed surface

The total flux is:

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 ELECTRIC FLUX

Application

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ELECTRIC FLUX

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ELECTRIC FLUX

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ELECTRIC FLUX

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 GAUSS’S LAW

GAUSS’S LAW: The relation between the electric flux through a closed surface
and the net charge Qencl enclosed within (inside) that surface is given by:

In Gauss’s law, a closed surface is REQUIRED:

It is an imaginary surface called GAUSSIAN
𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙
Ԧ
‫𝐸 ׯ‬. 𝑑 𝐴= SURFACE
𝜀0

where ε0 is the permittivity of

free space

ε0= 8.85 10-12 C2/N m2

Flux passes through the closed surface S1, S2,

and S3 is the SAME
and depends only on the amount of charge
inside. 10
 GAUSS’S LAW

The surface A1 encloses a The surface A2 encloses an

positive charge and there is equal magnitude negative
a net outward flux through charge and there is a net
this surface φE> 0. inward flux φE< 0.

The value of φE depends

No net flux into or out of this on the charge enclosed by
enclosed surface φE=0. the surface, and this is
Each field line that enters the what Gauss’s law is all
volume also leaves the volume. about.

Zero net charge inside a box

• Figure 22.3 below shows
three cases in which there is
zero net charge inside a box
and no net electric flux
through the surface of the
box.
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 GAUSS’S LAW

COULOMB’S LAW describes the electric force between two charged particles as
a function of their distance and their charges.

GAUSS’S LAW expresses the relation between the electric charge, Q, and the
electric field, E.

GAUSS’S LAW: WHAT’S NEW?

❑ Is a more general; it allows solving more problem than Coulomb’s law
❑ Is far more convenient in calculating electric field than Coulomb’s law
❑ It introduces the concept of electric flux of electric field

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 Coulomb’s law from Gauss’s law

Let us consider a single positive point charge

- We choose a Gaussian surface as a sphere
- E points radially outward parallel to dA, an element of
the surface area
- E is constant at any point on that surface

Electric flux:

+Q Ԧ ‫𝑠𝑜𝑐𝐴𝑑𝐸 ׯ‬0° = ‫𝐴𝑑 ׯ 𝐸 = 𝐴𝑑𝐸 ׯ‬

𝛷𝐸 = ‫𝐸 ׯ‬. 𝑑 𝐴=
𝛷𝐸 = 𝐸(4𝜋𝑟2)
𝑄
With 𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙 = 𝑄 , Gauss’s law: ‫𝐸 ׯ‬. 𝑑𝐴Ԧ = 𝐸 4𝜋𝑟2 = 𝜀0

A single point charge Q 1 𝑄

at the center of an 𝐸=
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟2
imaginary sphere of
radius r “Gaussian
surface” Coulomb’s law

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 IN CLASS PRACTICE

Flux from Gauss's law: Consider the two gaussian surfaces, A1 and A2, shown in the
figure below. The only charge present is the charge Q at the center of surface A1. What
is the net flux through each surface, A1 and A2 ?

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 IN CLASS PRACTICE

RESPONSE

- The surface A1 encloses the charge +Q. By Gauss’s law, the net flux through A1
is 𝛷𝐸 =Q/ε0.

- For surface A2, the charge +Q is outside the surface.

Surface A2 encloses zero net charge, so the net electric flux through A2 is zero, by
Gauss’s law: 𝛷𝐸 =Q/ε0 = 0 (because Q=0)
All field lines that enter the volume enclosed by surface A2 also leave it.
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 Applying Gauss’s Law to calculate E

1. Choose Gaussian surfaces S where to calculate E: Symmetry

2. Calculate: 𝛷𝐸 = ‫𝐸 ׯ‬. 𝑑 𝐴Ԧ

3. Calculate 𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙 , charge enclosed by surface S

𝑄
4. Apply Gauss’s Law to calculate E: ‫𝐸 ׯ‬. 𝑑 𝐴Ԧ = 𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙
𝜀0

Symmetry &
Gaussian surfaces

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 APPLICATION TO SPHERICAL CONDUCTOR

A SPHERICAL SHELL:
A thin spherical shell of radius r0 possesses a total net charge Q that is uniformly
distributed on it (figure below).
Determine the electric field at points (a) outside the shell, and (b) inside the shell.

+ +
+𝑬
+
+
+
r0 +
+
+ +

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 APPLICATION TO SPHERICAL CONDUCTOR

Determine the electric field at points (a) outside the shell

A1 represents the gaussian surface outside the shell

- Q is uniformly distributed on the sphere: The
electric field have the same magnitude at all points
A1
+ on the A1.
+
+ 𝑬
- Q >0, the electric field is pointing outward.
- 𝐸 is perpendicular to the surface of A1.
+
+
+
r
r0 +
+
+ 𝛷𝐸 = ‫𝐸 ׯ‬. 𝑑𝐴Ԧ =‫𝑠𝑜𝑐𝐴𝑑𝐸 ׯ‬0° = ‫(𝐸 = 𝐴𝑑 ׯ 𝐸 = 𝐴𝑑𝐸 ׯ‬4𝜋𝑟2)
+
𝑄
𝐸 4𝜋𝑟2 =
𝜀0

𝑄
Gauss’s law: 𝛷𝐸 =
𝜀0
1 𝑄
𝐸=
4𝜋𝜀0 𝑟2 𝑟 > 𝑟0 18
 APPLICATION TO SPHERICAL CONDUCTOR

Determine the electric field at points (b) inside the shell

A2 represents the gaussian surface inside the shell

+ +
A2 +𝑬 𝛷𝐸 = ‫𝐸 ׯ‬. 𝑑𝐴Ԧ =‫𝑠𝑜𝑐𝐴𝑑𝐸 ׯ‬0° = ‫(𝐸 = 𝐴𝑑 ׯ 𝐸 = 𝐴𝑑𝐸 ׯ‬4𝜋𝑟2)
+
r +
𝑄
+
r0 + 𝑄
Gauss’s law: 𝛷𝐸 = 𝐸 4𝜋𝑟2 =
𝜀0
+
+ +
𝜀0

Inside the shell, with the there is NO charge enclosed

within the sphere A2 : Qencl=0

𝑄
𝐸 4𝜋𝑟2 = =0 𝐸=0 𝑟 < 𝑟0
𝜀0

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 APPLICATION TO SOLID SPHERE OF CHARGE

SOLID SPHERE OF CHARGE

An electric charge Q is distributed uniformly throughout a nonconducting sphere of
radius r0, (figure). Determine the electric field (a) outside the sphere (r > r0) and (b)
inside the sphere (r < r0).

A1 and A2 represent two gaussian

surfaces we use to determine E

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 APPLICATION TO SOLID SPHERE OF CHARGE

SOLUTION:

- Q is uniformly distributed on the sphere: The electric field have the same magnitude
at all points located at the same radius r.
- Q >0, the electric field is pointing outward.
- 𝐸 is perpendicular to the surface of A1 and A2.

(a) Gaussian surface with a sphere of radius r(r > r0),

labeled A1. Since E depends only on r, Gauss’s law
gives, with Qencl = Q:

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 APPLICATION TO SOLID SPHERE OF CHARGE

SOLUTION:

(b) Gaussian surface with a sphere of radius r ( r< r0, labeled A2.
Gauss law is:

What is Qencl, the charge enclosed by A2? Qencl ≠ Q, Qencl is an only a portion of Q

We define the volume charge density, ρ, as the charge per unit volume (ρ = dQ/dV),

𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙 𝑄 4 𝑟3
𝜌= 𝑄𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙 = 𝜌𝑉𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙 = 4 3
( 𝜋𝑟 3 ) = 𝑄 3
𝑉𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙 𝜋𝑟 3 𝑟0
3 0

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 APPLICATION TO SOLID SPHERE OF CHARGE

Electric field variation over the charged sphere

The electric field increases linearly with r, until r = r0. It then

decreases as 1/r2
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 APPLICATION TO LONG UNIFORM LINE OF CHARGE

UNIFORM LINE OF CHARGE

A very long straight wire possesses a uniform positive charge per
unit length, λ. Calculate the electric field at points near (but
outside) the wire, far from the ends.

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 APPLICATION TO LONG UNIFORM LINE OF CHARGE

SOLUTION APPROACH:

❑ The gaussian surface that is a cylinder with the wire

along its axis.

❑ Because of the symmetry, the field is directed radially

outward and depend only on the perpendicular
distance, R, from the wire.
❑ Because of the cylindrical symmetry, the field will be
the same at all points on the gaussian surface.

❑ 𝐸 is perpendicular to this surface at all points.

❑ For Gauss’s law, we need a closed surface, so we
include the flat ends of the cylinder.
❑ Since E is parallel to the ends, there is no flux through
the ends (the cosine of the angle between E and dA on
the ends is cos 90° = 0).
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 APPLICATION TO LONG UNIFORM LINE OF CHARGE

SOLUTION:
For our chosen gaussian surface Gauss’s law gives:

NOTE This is the same result we found using Coulomb’s law, but here it took much
less effort.
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 REVIEW OF THE FIELD OF A CHARGED LINE BY COULOMB’S LAW

Here the source of the charge is a LINE or a SEGMENT :

The field dE at point P due to this

length dy of wire (at y) has
magnitude

With and

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APPLICATION TO INFINITE PLANE OF CHARGE

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 REVIEW OF THE FIELD OF A CHARGED LINE BY COULOMB’S LAW

APPROACH: We choose as our gaussian surface a small closed cylinder whose axis is
perpendicular to the plane, and which extends through the plane as shown in the figure.
Because of the symmetry, we expect E to be directed perpendicular to the plane on both
sides as shown, and to be uniform over the end caps of the cylinder, each of whose area
is A.
Since no flux passes through the curved sides of our
chosen cylindrical surface, all the flux is through the
two end caps. So, Gauss’s law gives:

where Qencl = σA is the charge enclosed by our gaussian cylinder. The electric field is
then:
ε0= 8.85 10-12 C2/N m2
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CHAPTER SUMMARY

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CHAPTER SUMMARY

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