Electromagnetic Fields

Lecture 4: Electric Flux Density, Gausss Law, and

Divergence

Dr. Ebtihal H. G. Yousif

Sudan University of Science & Technology

Electronics Engineering

Sem 6, 2017

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Outline

1 Faraday Experiment

2 Electric Flux Density

Definition
Relationship between D and E
3 Gausss Law
Definition
Dierential Volume Element
4 Divergence
Interpretation
Relation With Volume Charge Density
5 Divergence Theorem

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Faraday Experiment

Michael Faraday, became very interested in static electric fields and

the eect of various insulating materials on these fields.

The steps of Faradays experiment are as follows

He had a pair of concentric metallic spheres constructed, the
outer consisting of 2 hemisphere that can be clamped to each
other. He also prepared shells of insulating material which
would occupy the whole volume between the concentric
spheres.
He dismantled it and gave the inner sphere a given positive
charge.
The hemisphere were then clamped together around the
charged sphere with about 2 cm of dielectric between them.
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 The outer sphere was discharged by
connecting it momentorily to the ground.
The outer sphere was separated carefully
without disturbing the charge in the inner
sphere. The negative induced charge in
each of the sphere was measured.
Faraday found out that
The total charge on the outer sphere was
equal in magnitude with the original
charge of inner sphere and this was true
regardless of dielectric kept in between
them.
So it was concluded that the charge
underwent to some displacement which
was named as electric flux, or
displacement flux.
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Faraday Experiment

Figure: The electric flux in the region between a pair of charged

concentric spheres. 5 / 20
Faraday Experiment

Faradays experiments also showed that a larger positive charge

on the inner sphere induced a correspondingly larger negative
charge on the outer sphere, leading to a direct proportionality
between the electric flux and the charge on the inner sphere.
The constant of proportionality is 1
If electric flux is denoted by (psi) and the total charge on
the inner sphere by Q, then for Faradays experiment

= Q, (C )

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Electric Flux Density

Electric flux
, is a scalar field. By definition one coulomb of electric charge
gives rise to one coulomb of electric flux.

= Q, (C )

Electric flux density

D is a vector field, and is a member of the flux density class of
vector fields ( )
C
D = 0 E
m2

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Electric Flux Density
Relationship between D and E

For any electric field in an isotropic medium of permittivity , the

electric flux density is
D = E

Therefore, the D and E fields will have the same form, but
they dier with a factor which is a constant of the medium
Referring again to the figure in slide 5, the electric flux density
is in the radial direction and has a value of
  
 Q  Q  Q
D = 2
a r , D  = 2
a r , D  = ar
r =a 4a r =b 4b ar b 4r 2

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Gausss Law
Definition

Gausss Law
The total flux out of a surface is identical to the net charge within
the surface

= D dS = charge enclosed = Q
S

Gausss law may be written in terms of the charge distribution as

D dS = v dv
S vol

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Example 1

Find the charge in the volume defined by 0 x 1 m, 0 y 1

m, and 0 z 1 m, if v = 30x 2 y (C/m3 ). What change
occurs for the limits 1 y 0 m?

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Example 1

Example
Find the charge in the volume defined by 0 x 1 m,
0 y 1 m, and 0 z 1 m, if v = 30x 2 y (C/m3 ).
What change occurs for the limits 1 y 0 m?

Solution

Since Q = vol v dv
1 1 1
Q= 30x 2 y dx dy dz = 5C
0 0 0

After caning limits we have

1 0 1
Q= 30x 2 y dx dy dz = 5C
0 1 0

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Example 2

Three point charges, Q1 = 30 nC, Q2 = 150 nC, Q3 = 70 nC,

are enclosed by a surface. What net flux crosses that surface?

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Example 2

Example
Three point charges, Q1 = 30 nC, Q2 = 150 nC, Q3 = 70
nC, are enclosed by a surface. What net flux crosses that
surface?

Solution
Since electric flux was defined as originating on positive
charge and terminating on negative charge, part of the flux
from the positive charges terminates on the negative charge.

= Q = 30 + 150 70 = 110 nC

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Example 3

A point charge, Q = 30 nC is located at the origin in Cartesian

coordinates. Find the electric flux density at (1, 3, 4) m.

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Example 3

Example
A point charge, Q = 30 nC is located at the origin in
Cartesian coordinates. Find the electric flux density at
M = (1, 3, 4) m.

Solution
Q
D = 0 E = aM
4r 2 ( )
3 109 1
= (ax + 3ay 4az )
4 26 26
( )
9.18 11
= 10 (ax + 3ay 4az )
26

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Gausss Law
Application of Gausss Law: Dierential Volume Element

Let us consider any point P, located by a rectangular

coordinate system.
Applying Gausss law to the closed surface surrounding a
volume element v is given by

( )
Dx Dy Dz
Q= D dS = + + v
S x y z

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Divergence
Interpretation

Divergence
Let A to be a member of the flux-density family of vectors. The
divergence of the vector flux density A is the outflow of flux from a
small closed surface per unit volume as the volume shrinks to zero.
The divergence of A is defined as

H
S A dS
div A = lim
v 0 v

where A could represent velocity, temperature gradient, force,

or any other vector field.

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Divergence

Remember from lecture 2 that div A = A. Therefore for

electric flux density we have the following formulas.

Dx Dy Dz
Cartesian D = + +
x y z

1 1 D Dz
Cylindrical D = (D ) + +
z

1 ( 2 ) 1 1 D
Spherical D = 2
r Dr + (sin D )+ ,
r r r sin r sin

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Divergence
Relation With Volume Charge Density

Using the definition of divergence from the last 2 slides, we

have H
D dS Dx Dy Dz
lim S = + +
v 0 v x y z
The left hand side of the previous equation is equivalent to
H
D dS Q
lim S = lim = v
v 0 v v 0 v

Therefore we can write that

div D = D = v

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Divergence Theorem

Divergence Theorem

I
D dS = D dv
S vol

The integral of the normal component of any vector field over a

closed surface is equal to the integral of the divergence of this
vector fiel throughout the volume enclosed by the closed surface.

The proof comes straight from Gauss theorem since

I
D dS = Q = v dv = D dv
S vol vol

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