Applications of Gauss’ Law:

Electric Field at a point due to an infinitely long line charge.

II

h r

III

Consider an infinite long uniformly charged wire, with uniform charge

q
distribution  ,where   ,.
R

In order to find the electric field at point P located at normal distance r from
the line charge.

Let us assume a hollow cylindrical closed Gaussian surface at point p with

radius r and length L, such that the uniformly charged wire is at the axis of the
cylinder.

For linear charge distribution the flux lines are normal to its length , and hence
diverge radially outward from the curved part of the cylindrical surface.

Now consider a small area element dS lying on the curved part of the
cylindrical surface The electric field lines through ds is given by

d  E  dS

In the curved part of the cylinder E and dS are along the same direction ,
hence the angle between them is 0
d  E dS cos   E dS cos0
Therefore
d  E dS
In the flat end of the cylinder the area element makes an angle 90o with the
electric field .
d  E dS cos   E dS cos90
Hence
d  0

The flux through the flat end is zero, hence it does not contribute to electric
field.

The curved part of the cylinder can be thought to made up of large number of
small area elements dS .

Then the total flux over the entire curved surface is

   d

   E dS  E ds

 dS is the area of the entire curved part of the cylinder which is equal to
2 r L

The flux over the entire curved surface is

  E 2 r L

According to gauss law, the total electric flux over any closed surface is equal
to

1
  times the total charge enclosed by the surface
 0 

1
 (charge enclosed)
0

The charge enclosed by the Gaussian surface is L

On substituting all the values we get .

L
E(2rL) 
0
 
E
2r 0


Vertically, E  n
2 r o

1) n is away from the wire if the wire is positively charged.

2) n is towards the wire if the wire is negatively charged

This equation gives the value of electric field at a point due to infinitely
charged straight wire

Electric field at a point due to uniformly charged plane

surface

Consider an uniformly charged plane surface with charge density

q
, where   .
A

In order to find the electric field E at a point P located at normal distance L

from the plane.

Let us assume a cylindrical Gaussian surface with both ends closed , the
cylinder is stretched normally to length L, symmetrically on either sides of the
plane, such that it just encloses the point P

Let A be the area of the each flat ends of the cylinder .

Now consider a small area element dA enclosing p on the flat end , let E be
the electric field at P

The total flux  through the entire Gaussian surface = total flux on the 2 flat
ends + total flux on the curved surface.
  2f  c

Since the electric field lines are parallel to the cylinder, the number of field
lines passing through the curved surface is zero

The total flux  through the entire Gaussian surface = total flux on two flat
ends

The flux through the small area element on the flat end of the cylinder is

d  E dA

The total flux through the one of the flat surface is f  E  dA

The total flux through the entire Gaussian surface is

  2E  dA 0

  2E  dA ……………(1)

According to gauss law, the total electric flux over any closed surface is equal
to

1
  times the total charge enclosed by the surface
 0 

The charge enclosed by the Gaussian surface is q    dA ,

1
0 
therefore    dA...........(2)

Comparing the equation 1 and 2 we get

1
2E dA 
o 
 dA

On simplifying we get

E
20


Vectorially, E  n
2 o
Where i) n is away from the plane if the plane is positively charged.

ii) n is towards the plane if the plane is negatively charged.

Electric field Intensity due to uniformly charged spherical shell:

Consider a uniformly charged spherical shell of radius ‘R’. Let ‘q’ be the charge
on the shell. To find electric field intensity at any point ‘p’ at a distance ‘r’ from
the centre of the shell ‘O’, draw a Gaussian sphere with ‘O’ as its centre and ‘r’
as its radius. The Gaussian sphere contains ‘P’ on its surface as shown in figure.
Let us consider a small region of area ‘ds’ around point ‘p’ in which electric
field is uniform.

Now, electric flux through the small area element ‘ds’ is d  Eds cos  where, 
is the angle between the directions of E and ds.

The entire Gaussian sphere can be assumed to be made up of a number of

such small elements each of area ‘ds’.

Therefore the total electric flux through the entire Gaussian sphere is given by

   d or    Eds cos 

Since E and ds are always along the same direction for a uniformly charged
sphere,  =0.

Therefore,    Eds cos 0

   Eds

Since the charge is uniformly distributed on the sphere, ‘E’ has the same value
everywhere on the Gaussian surface.

  E  ds

But  ds gives the total area of the Gaussian sphere

 ds = 4πr2
Thus   E. 4πr2  1

According to Gauss’s law, the total electric flux over any closed surface is
equal to

1
  times the total charge enclosed by the surface
 0 

1
 .q  2
o

From equation 1 and 2

q
E. 4πr2 =
o

1 q
E=
4 o r 2

1 q
Vectorially, E = .r
4 o r 2

r is radially outward if ‘q’ is positive and

r is radially inward if ‘q’ is negative.

If we observe this equation , we can notice that, This is same field intensity
which a point charge ‘q’ placed at ‘O’ would produce at point ‘p’.

Thus, electric field at any point outside a uniformly charged spherical shell will
have same value even if all the charges were concentrated at the centre of the
shell.

Special cases:

i) Electric field on the surface of the shell

If the point ‘p’ lies on the surface of the charged shell, then r=R.
1 q
Thus, E =
4 o R2

If ‘σ’ is the surface charge density of the shell, then

 q
 or q = 4πR2σ
4 R 2

1 4 R 2
Therefore, E =
4 o R2


E=
o

ii) Electric field inside the charged shell:

If point ‘P’ lies inside the shell, then the Gaussian surface does not enclose
any charge i.e., q = 0

 E = 0 inside the shell

The graphical variation of electric field intensity with the distance from the
centre of the charged shell is as shown below.