Gauss’s Law in Pictures

Branislav K. Nikolić
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, U.S.A.

PHYS 208 Honors: Fundamentals of Physics II

http://www.physics.udel.edu/~bnikolic/teaching/phys208/phys208.html
Symmetry Operations

A charge distribution is symmetric if there is a set of

geometrical transformation that do not cause any physical change.

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Symmetry of Charge Distribution vs.
Symmetry of Electric Field

The symmetry of the electric field must match the symmetry of

the charge distribution

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Symmetry of Charge Distribution vs.
Symmetry of Electric Field

The symmetry of the electric

field must match the
symmetry of the charge
distribution

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Electric Field Pattern of Cylindrically
Symmetric Charge Distribution

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Electric Field Pattern of Charge
Distributions with Basic Symmetries

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Example: Problem 27.1

The electric field of a

cylindrically symmetric charge
distribution cannot have a
component parallel to the
cylinder axis. Also, the
electric field of a cylindrically
symmetric charge distribution
cannot have a component
tangent to the circular cross
section. The only shape for
the electric field that
matches the symmetry of the
charge distribution with
respect to (i) translation
parallel to the cylinder axis,
(ii) rotation by an angle
about the cylinder axis, and
(iii) reflections in any plane
containing or perpendicular
to the cylinder axis is the
one shown in the figure.

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Example: Problem 27.2

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Example: Problem 27.3

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

The Concept of Flux of Electric Field

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Gaussian surface which does not match
symmetry of charge is not useful!

The electric field pattern through the surface is particularly simple if the
closed surface matches the symmetry of the charge distribution inside.
PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law
Calculus for the Flux of Vector Fields

Motivation for the definition: Flux of a fluid flow

Flux of uniform electric field passing through a surface:

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Flux of a Nonuniform Electric Field

N
N

Φ e = ∑ δ Φ i = ∑ E ⋅ (δ A)i
i =1

i =1

N →∞ , δ A → dA



Φ e = ∫ E ⋅ dA
surface

Simplified situations where integration goes away:

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Gauss’s Law For Point Charge



Φe = ∫ E ⋅ dA = EASphere = E 4π r 2

1 q q
Φe = 4π r =
2

4πε 0 r 2
ε0

Electric flux dΦe = EdAcosα =

dΩ
is 1 q q
= dA cos α = dΩ
independent 4πε0 r2 4πε0
of surface
shape:

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Gauss’s Law For Charge Distribution =
First Maxwell Equation

q1 q2 Qenclosed
Φe = 
∫ E ⋅ dA = + + … =
ε0 ε0 ε0

Unlike Coulomb’ law for static point charges, Gauss’s law is valid for
moving charges and fields that change with time.
PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law
Applications: Charged Sphere
1. Determine the symmetry of the electric field.
2. Select a Gauss surface (as imaginary surface in the space surrounding the
charge) to match the symmetry of the field.
3. If 1. and 2. are possible, flux integral should become algebraic product
electric field x Gauss surface area.

Q

Q
Φ e = ∫ E ⋅ dA = E outside Asphere = Φe = ∫ E ⋅ dA = EAsphere = inside
ε0 ε0
Q
q 4 r 3πρ 4 r 3π

E outside 4π r =
2
⇒ E outside = rˆ Einside 4π r 2 = 3 = 3
Q
⇒ Einside =
Q
rrˆ
ε0 4πε 0 r 2
ε0 ε0 4 R3π 4πε 0 R
3
3
PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law
Applications: Charged Wire

Φe = ∫ E ⋅ d A = Φ to p +Φ b o tto m + Φ w a ll = 0 + 0 + E Acylin d er
Q
Q in λL L = λ
E 2 π rL = = ⇒ E w ire =
ε0 ε0 2 πε 0 r 2 πε 0 r
PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law
Applications: Charged Plane

Φ e = ∫ E ⋅ d A = 2E A

Q in ηA η
EA = = ⇒ E plane =
ε0 ε0 2ε 0
PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law
Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium

BASIC FACT: Electric field is zero at all points within the conductor – otherwise
charges will flow, thereby violating electrostatic equilibrium.

Any component of the electric field

Q inside tangent to the conductor surface
Φe = ∫ E ⋅ dA = ⇒ Q inside ≡ 0 would cause surface charges to move
ε0 thereby violating the assumuption
Any excess charge resides that all charges are at rest.
entirely on the exterior surface.
PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law
Gauss’s Law Determines Electric Field
Outside of Metal

Qin ηA η
Φe = Esurface A = = ⇒ Esurface = nˆ
ε0 ε0 ε0

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Electric Field of Conducting Shells

- - -
∫ qE ⋅ ds ≠ 0
+ closed path
+ +

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Applications: Faraday’s Cage

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law

Example: Electric Force Acting on
the Surface of Metallic Conductor


Esurface η
Eδ A =




Eδ A 2ε 0


E = 0 ⇒ Eδ A = Erest
Erest
δA
Esurface


Erest
Esurface = Eδ A + Erest = 2Erest ⇒ Erest =
2

Eδ A




E surface



Fδ A 1

E =0 Fδ A = ηδ A
2
⇔ f = = η E surface
δA 2

1
ε0

f = ε 0 E surface nˆ ⇒ Fconductor =
2
∫

2
E surface dA
2 2

of the sign
of surface charge density η and corresponding direction of the
NOTE: Regardless
electric field Esurface
, the forceFsurface is always directed outside of the conductor tending to stretch it.

PHYS 208 Honors: Gauss’s Law