Derivation of Gauss Law

Case I - When charge is inside the Gaussian surface.

Consider a charge ‘q’ present at point A. Let P

be a point at a distance ‘r’ from A. Through ‘P’
consider a hypothetical surface ‘S’ enclosing the
charge ‘q’.

Due to charge ‘q’ intensity of electric field at ‘P’ is

1 ⎛q ⎞
E= ⎜ ⎟r̂
4πε ⎝ r
o
2
⎠
Surface integral of anr electric field over closed
surface ‘S’ will be ∫ E • dS . Now
 r 1 q q dS cos θ
∫ E • dS =
4πε ∫r
S
r̂
2
• dS =
4πε ∫ r
S
2
o o

Here θ = angle between r̂ and normal to dS .

dS cos θ Normal area

Now 2
= = Solid angle (dω )
2
r r
Therefore
r q dS cos θ q q q
∫ E • dS =
4πε ∫ r
S
2
=
4πε ∫ dω =
S 4πε
.4π =
ε
o o o o

If many charges are present inside surface ‘S’ then

r 1
∑q
n

∫ E • dS =
ε i =1
i
o

Case II - When charge is outside the Gaussian surface.

Suppose charge ‘q’ be out side the Gaussian surface
‘S’. Due to charge ‘q’ let E , E , E & E be the 1 2 3 4

electric field intensities at dS , dS , dS 3 & dS 1 2 4

respectively.
r
∫ E • dS = ∫ E • dS + ∫ E • dS + ∫ E • dS + ∫ E • dS
1 1
S2
2 2
S3
3 3
S4
4 4
S
1

q 1 q 1 q 1
4πε o S∫1 r1 ∫S2 r 2 2 2 4πε S∫3 r 2 r̂3 • dS 3
= r̂ • dS + r̂ • dS +
4πε o
2 1 1
2 o 3

q 1
+ ∫
4πε o S4 r4
2
r̂4 • dS 4

q dS cos θ q dS cos θ q dS cos θ

4πε ∫ ∫ r ∫ r
= + 1 1 2
+ 2 3 3

4πε 4πε
2 2 2
r
o S1 1 o S2 2 o S3 3

q dS cos θ
4πε ∫
+ 4
2
4

r
o S4 4

r
∫ E • dS = 4πε [− 4π + 4π − 4π + 4π ] = 0
q
o

It means if charges are outside the surface the

normal flux or surface integral of electric field over
the surface is zero.