Chapter 24

Gauss’s Law
Learning Outcomes:
24.3: Application of Gauss’s Law to Various Charge
Distributions

24.4: Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium

 Electric Flux
• Electric flux is the product of the magnitude of the
electric field and the surface area, A, perpendicular
to the field

ΦE = EA
 
  EA cos   E  A
 Gauss’ Law
Carl Friedrich Gauss
1777 – 1855
• Gauss’ Law: electric flux through any closed surface
is proportional to the net charge Q inside the surface

• εo = 8.85 x 10-12 C2/Nm2 : permittivity of free space

1 /ε 0  4 π k e

• The area in Φ is an imaginary Gaussian surface (does

not have to coincide with the surface of a physical
object)
 Continuous Charge Distributions
LINE AREA VOLUME
 

Charge density =Q/L =Q/A =Q/V

Units C/m C / m2 C / m3

Differential dq =  dL dq =  dA dq =  dV

Charge differential dq to be used when finding the

electric field of a continuous charge distribution
 24.3: Application of Gauss’s Law to Various
Charge Distributions

• 1. Draw Gaussian surface

• 2. Electric field (E) should be uniform

• 3. Electric field (E) should pass through that point

• 4. Electric field (E) and Area vector (A) should be

parallel
 1. Electric Field Due to a Solid Conducting
Spherically Symmetric Charge Distribution:

If a solid sphere is made of conducting

material, charges always lie on its surface.

(a) For r ≥ a

Q Q
E 2
 ke 2
4 0 r r
(b) For r < a
E=0
(Because charges lie on its surface and
no charge lies inside the sphere)
 2. Electric Field Due to a Solid Non-Conducting
Spherically Symmetric Charge Distribution:

If a solid sphere is made of non-conducting

material, charges always keep their positions fix.
Charges will not move on surface.

(a)
For r ≥ a

Q Q
E 2  ke
4 0 r r 2
 2. Electric Field Due to a Solid Non-Conducting
Spherically Symmetric Charge Distribution:

•  
3. Electric Field of a Charged (conducting or
non conducting) thin Spherical Shell:
The calculation of the field outside the shell is
identical to that of a point charge

Q Q
E  2
 ke 2
4 r o r
• The electric field inside the shell is zero
 4. Electric Field Due to a Line of Charge:

• Select a cylindrical Gaussian surface

(of radius r and length ℓ)

• Electric field is constant in magnitude

and perpendicular to the surface at
every point on the curved part of the
surface

• The end view confirms the field is

perpendicular to the curved surface

• The field through the ends of the

cylinder is 0 since the field is parallel
to these surfaces
4. Electric Field Due to a Line of Charge:

  Q
 E   E  dA  E  dA 
0
l
E (2rl ) 
0
 
E  2k
2 0 r r
 5. Electric Field Due to a Plane of Charge:
• The uniform field must be perpendicular to the sheet
and directed either toward or away from the sheet

• Use a cylindrical Gaussian surface

• The flux through the ends is EA and there is no field

through the curved part of the surface

• Surface charge density σ = Q / A

Q
EA 
εo
σA 0 σ
E 2A 0  E
εo 2ε o