Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 

  
Lesson 2.2 
Gauss’s Law 
 
Contents 
Introduction 1 

Learning Objectives 2 

Warm Up 2 

Learn about It! 4 

Gauss’s Law 4 
The General Equation 4 
Applications of Gauss’s Law 7 
Field of a Charged Conducting Sphere 7 
Field of a Uniform Line Charge 8 

Key Points 14 

Key Formulas 15 

Check Your Understanding 17 

Challenge Yourself 19 

Bibliography 19 

Key to Try It! 20 

 
   

 
  
Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

Lesson 2.2 
Gauss’s Law 
 

 
 

  Introduction 
In  the  previous  lesson,  you  have  learned  that  field  lines  are  visual  representations  of  the 
electric  field,  and  that  the  summation  of  their  number  is  equal  to  the  strength  of  that 
particular  electric  field.  When  passing  through  a  given  region  or  surface,  the  number  of 
these  field  lines  depends  on  three  factors, namely: (1) the magnitude of the electric field, (2) 
the  surface  area,  and  (3)  the  angle  of  orientation  of  the  surface.  The  mathematical 
relationship  between charges, electric field, and electric flux is also known as Gauss’s Law. In 
this lesson, you will learn more about Gauss’s law and its applications. 
 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

 
 

Learning Objectives  DepEd Competencies 

 
In this lesson, you should be able to do the  ● Use Gauss’s Law to infer electric 
following:  field due to uniformly distributed 
charges on long wires, spheres, 
● Explain Gauss’s law. 
and large plates.  
● Distinguish  the  conditions  of  (STEM_GP12EM-IIIb-13). 
● Solve problems involving flux in 
symmetry  under  which  Gauss’s  law 
contexts such as, but not limited 
can be used.  to: system of point charges, 
● Solve problems using Gauss’s law.  classical model of the atom, 
electrical breakdown of air, charge 
pendulums, control of electron 
and proton beams, and 
electrostatic ink-jet printers  
(STEM_GP12EM-IIIb-14). 
 

  Warm Up       

  Gaussian Surfaces    5 minutes 

The activity will enable you to visualize the concept of Gaussian surface. 
 

Materials 
● 10 red and 10 blue jackstones 
● Gaussian surface board 

 
Procedure 
1. Refer to Fig. 2.2.1. Each circle indicates a Gaussian surface. 
2. Toss  the  jackstones  such  that  they  are  distributed  at  random  throughout  the board. 
One  blue  jackstone  corresponds  to  one  positive  charge  and  one  red  jackstone 
corresponds to one negative charge. 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

 
Fig. 2.2.1. Gaussian surfaces board 
 
3. Note  the  number  of  blue  and  red  jackstones  that  hit  each  Gaussian  surface.  Record 
all your observations in Table 2.2.1. 
 
Data Table 
Table 2.2.1. Gaussian surfaces 

Number of blue  Number of red 

Gaussian surface  Total charge  
jackstones  jackstones 

1       

2       

3       

4       

5       

 
Guide Questions 
1. Which  Gaussian  surface  received  the  most  number  of  positive  charges?  How  about 
negative charges? 
2. Which  Gaussian  surface  received  the  largest  amount  of  total  charge? How about the 
 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

least  amount  of  total  charge?  (Be  sure  to  count  all  charges  enclosed  within 
overlapping surfaces.) 
3. Using your knowledge of electric flux, determine which Gaussian surface contains the 
strongest and the weakest electric field. 
 

  Learn about It! 

The Warm Up activity demonstrated how 20 point charges, as represented by the jackstones, 
are  situated  across  a  single  plane  with  five  overlapping  Gaussian  surfaces.  Gauss’s  Law  is 
applicable  for  any  given  charge  distribution  and  for  any closed surface. Thus, it can be used 
to:  (1)  calculate  the  electric  field  if  the  charge  distribution  is  provided,  and  (2)  calculate  the 
charge  distribution  if  the  magnitude  of  the  electric  field  is  given.  Let  us try to find out more 
about Gauss’s Law.  
 

What is Gauss’s Law? 

 
 
 
Gauss’s Law 
Published  in  1867  by  Carl  Friedrich  Gauss,  this  law  contains  similarities  with  Coulomb’s 
Law,  and  may  be  used  to  derive  it.  It  also  forms  one  of  the  foundations  of  Maxwell’s 
equations for classical electrodynamics.  
 
The General Equation 
Gauss’s  Law  states  that  in  any  closed  surface,  the  electric  flux  is  equivalent  to  the  net 
charge  inside  the  closed  surface  divided  by  ,  which  is  the  electric  constant  that 
establishes  the  direct  proportionality  between  field  intensity  and  electric  displacement  in  a 
given region. Gauss’s Law is mathematically expressed as follows: 
 

Equation 2.2.1 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

where is the net electric flux, is the electric field vector, is the surface area element, 

is the enclosed electric charge, and is the electric permittivity of free space (constant). 
 
Gauss’s Law may also be expressed in the following variations: 
 

Recall  that  the formula for electric flux is  . Gauss’s Law postulates that the total 

electric  flux  passing through a closed surface is considered zero unless the volume enclosed 
by  this  surface  contains  a  net  charge.  The  number  of  field  lines  entering  the  surface  is 
equivalent  to  the  number  of  field  lines  leaving  it.  Thus,  this  law  establishes  the  basic 
relationship  between  the  flux  of  electric  field  lines  to  the  charges  contained  inside  the 
enclosed surface.  
 

Remember 
The  “enclosed  surface”  pertained  to  in  Gauss’s  Law  is  usually 
imaginary,  hypothetical,  or  arbitrary.  This surface is most commonly 
called “Gaussian surface”.  
 
The  equation  of  Gauss’s  Law  basically  states  that  the  total  electric 
flux  passing  through  a  closed  surface  is  proportional  to  the  net 
electric  charge  inside  this  closed  surface,  divided  by  the  electric 
permittivity of free space, . 

 
 
Use  Table  2.2.2  as  a  reference  for  the  names,  symbols,  and  units  for  all  the  quantities that 
will be encountered in this lesson.  
 
 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

Did You Know? 

The  concepts  surrounding  this  law  were  first  studied  by  the 
Franco-American  mathematician  Joseph-Louis  Lagrange  in  1773. 
However,  it  was Carl Friedrich Gauss who formulated and published 
it in 1835 and 1867, respectively. 
 
Gauss’s  Law  is  the  first  of  the  four  Maxwell’s  equations  on classical 
electrodynamics.  The  other  three  are  Gauss’s  law  for 
electromagnetism, Faraday’s law, and Circuital law.  

 
Table 2.2.2. Quantities related to electric flux and Gauss’s law 

  Symbol  Unit 

newtons square 
electric flux   
  meter per coulomb 

newton per 
electric field   
  coulomb 

surface area      square meter 

electric charge      coulomb 

permittivity of 
square coulomb per 
free space   
newton square 
(constant)     
meter 
 

surface charge  coulomb per square 

 
density    meter 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

linear charge 
  coulomb per meter 
density   

 
Applications of Gauss’s Law 
Gauss’s  Law  is  most  beneficial  in  identifying  the  electric  field  of a certain region when there 
is  a  symmetrical  charge  distribution.  The  direction  of  the  electric  field  may  be  identified 
through  these  symmetries,  which  may  be  in  the  form  of  a  sphere,  a  cylinder, or a plane. As 
such,  the  most  important  factor  to  consider  when  using  Gauss’s  Law  is  the  identification of 
the symmetry present in a given region. 
 
Field of a Charged Conducting Sphere 
For  any  given  point  charge,  or  any  spherical  charge  distribution,  i.e.,  the  charge  is 
distributed  in  a  uniform  manner  on  the  surface,  you  may  use  a  spherical  enclosed  surface, 
or  spherical  Gaussian  surface,  where  the  radius    is  centered  on  the  region,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  2.2.2.  This  implies  that  the  electric  field’s  direction  is  radial, and that the magnitude 
of the electric field is equal throughout all the points of the spherical Gaussian surface.  
 

 
Fig. 2.2.2. Gaussian surface in a charged conducting sphere with positive charge q 
 
The  area of the enclosed surface is equal to   and the electric field may be computed as 
follows: 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

 
 

Equation 2.2.2 
 

How do we determine the electric eld of a 

  spherical charge distribution? 
 
Field of a Uniform Line Charge 
This  kind  of  symmetry  may  be  used  if  there  is  a  line  with  uniform  charge  density  ,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  2.2.3.  Here,  the  electric  charge  is  uniformly  distributed along a long line, such 
as a wire, and the whole charge present on the line contributes to the field at any point, thus 
forming  a  cylindrical  symmetry.  This  implies  that  the  electric  field’s  direction  is  coaxial, 
and  that  the  magnitude  of  the  electric  field  is  equal  throughout  all  the  points  of  the 
cylindrical Gaussian surface.  
 

 
Fig. 2.2.3. Coaxial cylindrical Gaussian surface  
 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

The following equation is used to calculate for the electric field: 

 

Equation 2.2.3 
 

 
where    is  the  electric  field vector,   is the electric permittivity of free space (constant), 
is the linear charge density, and r is the radius. 
 
On the other hand, the electric flux is solved as: 
 

  Equation 2.2.4 

where is the electric flux, is the arbitrary length, is the linear charge density, and  
is the electric permittivity of free space (constant). 
 

How do we determine the electric eld of a uniform 

  line charge? 
 
 

Tips 
For any given point charge, or any spherical charge distribution, use  
the formula for spherical symmetries. For a uniform line charge, use   
the formula for cylindrical symmetries. 

 
 
 
 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

  Let’s Practice!  

Example 1    
If  one  electron  contains  a  negative  charge  of  ,  what  will  be  the  electric  flux 
through a Gaussian surface that has 100 electrons? 
 
Solution 
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem. 
You are asked to calculate the electric flux for the Gaussian surface.  
 
Step 2: Identify the given in the problem. 
The electric charge of an electron is given. The electric permittivity of free space, 
, which is a constant value, is also known. 

 
  
Step 3: Write the working equation.  

 
 
Step 4: Substitute the given values.  

 
 
Step 5: Find the answer. 

 
  
Thus,  the  electric  flux for the given Gaussian surface that contains 100 electrons is equal to 

. 
 
 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

1  Try It!  
Determine the electric flux through a Gaussian surface that contains 25 protons and 
50 electrons. 

Example 2  

A  solid  sphere  that  has  a  radius  of  14  m  contains  a  total  uniformly  distributed  positive 
charge of 25 μC on its surface. Determine the electric field at 15 m from the sphere’s center. 
 
Solution 
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem. 
You are asked to calculate the electric field through the Gaussian surface. 
 
Step 2: Identify the given in the problem. 
The radius of the sphere, the electric charge of the sphere’s surface, and the 
distance from the center are given. The electric permittivity of free space, , 
which is a constant value, is also known. 
 

 
 

 
 
Step 3: Write the working equation.  

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

Step 4: Substitute the given values. 

To find the area of the sphere, use: 

 
 
  
To find the electric field through the Gaussian surface: 

 
 
Step 5: Find the answer. 

 
 
Thus, the electric field through the Gaussian surface is equal to 999 N/C. 
 

2  Try It!  
A  solid  sphere  that  has  a  radius  of  15  m  contains  a  total  uniformly  distributed 
positive  charge  of  8  C  on  its  surface.  Determine  the magnitude of the electric field at 
18 m from the sphere’s center. 

 
Example 3  
A  copper  wire  that  has  a  radius  of  2  mm  contains  a  surface  charge  density  of  5  μC/m2. 
Determine  the  total  charge  present  in  a  2.0-m  long  section  of  the  copper  wire  and  the 
magnitude of the electric field at a distance of 10 cm from the wire. 
 
Solution 
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem. 
You are asked to calculate the total charge present in the 2-m long section of the  
wire, and the magnitude of the electric field at a distance of 10 cm from the wire. 
 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

Step 2: Identify the given in the problem. 

The radius of the wire (2 mm), the surface charge density, 5 μC/m2, the length of 
the wire (2.0 m), and the distance from the wire (10 cm) are given. The electric 
permittivity of free space ( ), which is a constant value, is also known. 
 
Step 3: Write the working equations.  

 
 
Step 4: Substitute the given values.  
Since  the  electric  charge  is  uniformly  distributed  along  the  infinitely  long  copper 
wire,  the  cylindrical  Gaussian  surface  must  be  used  to  solve  the  total  charge 
present. The area of a cylinder may be calculated as follows: 
 
 
 
 
 
Solve the total charge Q: 

 
 
To solve the electric field, derive the value of the linear charge density as follows: 
 

, thus 

 
 
Substitute all the given values to the equation for the electric field as follows: 
 

 
 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

Step 5: Find the answer. 

 
 
Thus, the total charge present in the 2-m long section of the wire is 1.25 ✕ 10–7 C and the 
magnitude of the electric field 10 cm from the wire is 2.25 ✕ 10–7 N/C. 
 

3  Try It!  
An  infinitely  long  wire  that  has  a  radius  of  3 cm contains a uniform charge density of 
15  μC/m2.  Determine  the  total  charge  present  in  a  3.0-m  long  section  of  the  copper 
wire and the magnitude of the electric field at a distance of 12 m from the wire. 

 
Key Points 
___________________________________________________________________________________________ 
 
● Gauss’s  Law  states  that  in  any  closed  surface,  the  electric  flux  is  equivalent  to  the 
net charge inside the closed surface divided by . 
● Gauss’s  Law  can  be  used  to:  (1)  calculate  the electric field if the charge distribution is 
provided,  and  (2)  calculate  the  charge  distribution  if  the  magnitude  of  the  electric 
field is given.  
● For  any  given  point  charge,  or  any  spherical  charge  distribution,  i.e.,  the  charge  is 
distributed  in  a  uniform  manner  on  the  surface,  you  may  use  a  spherical  enclosed 
surface, or spherical Gaussian surface, where the radius R is centered on the region. 
● If  the  electric  charge  is  uniformly  distributed  along  a  long  line,  a  cylindrical 
Gaussian surface may be used.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________  
 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

Key Formulas 
___________________________________________________________________________________________ 
 

Concept  Formula  Description 

Gauss’s Law  Use this formula to solve 

  the electric flux passing 
  through a Gaussian 
where  surface if the magnitude of 
● ɸ E is the net electric flux;  the electric field and the 
● E is the electric field vector;  surface area or the enclosed 
● A is the surface area  charge are given. 
element; 
● Q is the enclosed electric 
charge, and 
● 𝜖
0 is the electric 
permittivity of free space 
(constant). 
 

Field of a Charged  Use this formula to solve 

Conducting    the magnitude of the 

Sphere  where  electric field of a charged 

● E is the electric field vector;  conducting sphere 
● 𝜖
0 is the electric  (spherical symmetry) when 
permittivity of free space  the total charge (Q) and 
(constant);  radius (r) are given. 
● Q is the enclosed electric   
charge, and   
● r is the radius.   
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

  Use this formula to solve 

where  the total charge if the 

● Q is the enclosed electric  linear charge density and 

charge;  length are given. 

● λ is the linear charge 

density, and 
● L is the length. 

Field of a Uniform  Use this formula to solve for 

Line Charge    the magnitude of the 
where  electric field of a uniform 
● E is the electric field vector;  line charge (using 
● 𝜖
0 is the electric  cylindrical symmetry) if 
permittivity of free space  the linear charge density  
(constant);  and radius are given. 
● λ is the linear charge 
density, and 
● r is the radius. 

Use this formula to solve 

  the electric flux passing 
where  through the cylindrical 
● ɸ E is the net electric flux;  Gaussian surface if the 
● λ is the linear charge  linear charge density λ and 
density;  length L are given. 
● L is the length, and 
● 𝜖
0 is the electric 
permittivity of free space 
(constant). 

 
___________________________________________________________________________________________ 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

  Check Your Understanding 

 

A. Identify  whether  each  of  the  following  statements  is  true  or 
false. 

______________  1.  Gauss’s  Law  can  be  used  to  calculate  the  electric  field 
through a closed surface.  

______________  2.  The  electric  field’s  direction  in  a  spherical  Gaussian surface 

is radial.  

______________  3.  For  the  electric  field  of  a  charged  conducting  sphere,  the 
area of the enclosed surface is equivalent to .  

______________  4.  The surface area is expressed in cubic per meter.  

______________  5.  Gauss’s  Law  is most beneficial in identifying the electric flux 

passing  through  a  certain  region  when  there  is  a 
symmetrical charge distribution.  

______________  6.  Gauss’s  Law  is  similar  to  Ampere’s  Law,  and  thus  may  be 
used to derive it.  

______________  7.  The total electric flux through a closed surface is inversely 
proportional to the net electric charge inside.  

______________  8.  The electric field’s direction in a cylindrical Gaussian surface 

is coaxial.  

______________  9.  The total charge inside a cylindrical Gaussian surface is 
determined by multiplying linear charge density and the 
length of the wire.  
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 
 

______________  10.  In the Gauss’s Law general equation, permittivity of free 

    space, or 𝜖0, is equivalent to 9.95 ✕ 10–12 F/m.   
     
______________  11.  The electric flux is expressed in newton per square meter. 
     
______________  12.  The electric field is measured in terms of newton per 
    coulomb. 
     
______________  13.  The electric flux in a Gaussian surface containing 1 electron 
    and 1 proton is equivalent to zero. 
     

The formula to solve the magnitude of the electric charge 

______________  14. 
   
when the charge density and area are given is . 
   
 
______________  15. 
The area of a cylinder is mathematically expressed as 
.  

B. Solve the following problems.    

1. What  is  the  electric  flux  passing  through  a  Gaussian  surface  that  contains  2  protons 
and 1 electron? 
2. A  solid  conducting  sphere  with  an  area  of  16  m2  has  a  total  charge  of  4  μC. 
Determine the electric field through the Gaussian surface. 
3. Solve  for  the  distant  planet,  Uhkbarhr,  has  a  net  electric  flux  of  –4.65  ✕  1018  Nm2/C. 
What will be the total electric charge on the planet? 
4. A  copper  wire  that  has  a  radius  of  3  cm  has  a  uniform  charge  density  of  12  μC/m2. 
Determine the total charge present in a 1.0-m long section of the copper wire. 
5. Solve  the  magnitude  of  the  electric  field  in  the  previous  problem  at  a  distance  of 
12.13 cm from the wire. 
 

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 

 

  Challenge Yourself 
 

Answer the following questions.  

1. A  point  charge  at  the  center  of  a  sphere  contains  an  electric  field  of  1.25  ✕ 106 N/C 
from  a  distance  of  0.150  m.  Calculate  the  charge’s  magnitude  passing  through  the 
surface of the sphere if it has a radius of 0.150 m. 
2. Consider  a  rubber  ball  that has a single point charge right at its center. Does the net 
electric flux inside the rubber ball depend on how inflated it is? Explain your answer. 
3. A  spherical  Gaussian  surface  encloses  a  charge  at  its  center.  If this charge is moved 
to  any  other  point  inside  the  sphere,  will the electric field on the surface be altered? 
Why or why not? 
4. Given  the  same  scenario  in  the  previous  item,  will  the  electric  flux  change?  Why  or 
why not?  
5. A  region  in space is bounded by a Gaussian surface that contains no charge. Will the 
electric field be zero at all times everywhere on this surface? Why or why not? 
 

  Bibliography 
 
Coletta, Vincent P. Physics Fundamentals. Lakeville, MN: Physics Curriculum & Instruction, 
Inc., 2010. 
 
Hewitt, Paul G. Conceptual Physics (11th ed). New York: Pearson Education, 2010. 
 
Holt, R., Serway, R., & Faugn, J. Physics. Austin, TX: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006. 
  
Macalalad, E. P. and Vergara, R. L. Exploring the Realms of Science: Physics. Valenzuela City: 
JO-ES Publishing House, Inc., 2011. 
 
Walker, J., Halliday, D., & Resnick, R. Fundamentals of Physics. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011.  

 
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Unit 2: Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 

 

  Key to Try It! 

1. –4.53 ✕ 10–7 C 
2. 2.22 ✕ 108 N/C  
3. Q = 8.48 ✕ 10–6 C, E = 4.24 ✕ 103 N/C  
 

 
 

 
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