Lecture 5

Electric Flux and Flux Density,

Gauss Law
Sections: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Homework: D3.1, D3.2, D3.3, D3.4, D3.5; 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.9,
3.13

LECTURE 5 slide 1
 Faraday’s Experiment (1837)
charge ‘transfer’ from inner to outer sphere
electric induction: causing charge
deposition without contact E
observations +Q
b a
charge on outer sphere is of the same
magnitude but opposite sign insulator
charge on outer sphere is the same −Q
regardless of the insulating material used
charge on outer electrode is the same
regardless of electrode’s shape
displacement flux ≡ electric flux Ψ e = Q, C
flux is determined by the charge and does not depend on the medium
LECTURE 5 slide 2
 Flux Density and Flux – 1
charge density on inner sphere > charge density on outer sphere
Q −Q
ρs =
in ρs =
ou
4π a 2 4π b 2
flux has direction and density corresponding to the charge
polarity and density

Q = ∫∫ ρ s ds ⇔ Ψ = ∫∫ Dn ds
Dn = Dr
S S

inner sphere a
b
Ψ
Ψ = Dr ⋅ 4π a2 ⇒ Dr = S
4π a 2
outer sphere
Ψ
Ψ = Dr ⋅ 4π b 2 ⇒ Dr =
4π b 2
LECTURE 5 slide 3
 Flux Density and Flux – 2
any sphere (the flux density of point charge)
Ψ 1 Ψ
Ψ = Dr ⋅ 4π r 2 ⇒ Dr = ⇒ D = ⋅ 2 ar
4π r 2 4π r Dn = Dr
r a
compare with E of a point charge b
1 Q
E= ⋅ 2 ar S
4πε r
E depends on the permittivity, D does not: D describes the
sources regardless of the medium
in vacuum D = ε 0 E
the principle of superposition applies to D as well:
1 ρva R
D= ∫∫∫
4π v R 2
dv
LECTURE 5 slide 4
 Flux Density and Flux – 3
flux through closed surface depends neither on the surface shape nor
on the mutual positioning of charge and closed surface
true for any physical flux (water flow, electrical current, etc.)
true for the flux of a point charge
consider the flux through α D2
a surface element S1 ds1 = R12 d Ω R2 α
D1 an2
in SCS, ds = R 2 sin θ dθ dφ dΩ R1
dΩ Q R22 d Ω
1 ds2 =
D∼ , ds ∼ R 2
cos α
R2
⇒ Dr ( R1 ) ⋅ ds1 = Dr ( R2 ) cos α ⋅ ds2
S2
⇒ D( R1 ) ⋅ ds1 = D( R2 ) ⋅ ds 2 , ds = dsa n

LECTURE 5 slide 5
 Gauss’ Law

⇒ ∫∫ D( R1 ) ⋅ ds1 = ∫∫ D( R2 ) ⋅ ds2 = Ψ = Q
S1 S2

as per superposition principle: what is true for a point charge

is true for any charge distribution
flux equals enclosed charge – no enclosed charge, flux zero

the electric flux over a closed surface is equal to the total

charge enclosed by the surface

∫∫ D ⋅ ds = Q = ∫∫∫ ρv dv
S v

LECTURE 5 slide 6
 Gauss Law: Applications

Gauss’ law makes solutions to problems with planar, cylindrical

or spherical symmetry easy
choose integration surface so that
D is everywhere either normal or tangential to surface
normal: D ⋅ ds = Dds; tangential: D ⋅ ds = 0
when normal to surface, D is also constant on surface

∫∫ D ⋅ ds = ∫∫ D ⋅ ds = D ⋅ S
S S

LECTURE 5 slide 7
 Gauss Law Applications: Field of Infinite Line Charge
z
∫∫ D ⋅ ds = Q = ρl ⋅ l
S
due to symmetry D = Dρ a ρ y
2π l x φ ρ
⇒ ∫ ∫ Dρ ρ dφ dz = 2πρ Dρ l = ρl l
φ =0 z =0
l ds = ρ dφ dza ρ
ρl
⇒ D = aρ , C/m 2
2πρ
S
Dρl
⇒ E = = aρ , V/m ρl
ε 2περ

This result was already obtain in Lecture 3 by the superposition

principle.
LECTURE 5 slide 8
 Gauss Law Applications: Field of Coaxial Cable
problem has cylindrical symmetry
Gaussian surface chosen as cylinder of radius ρ
solution analogous to that of line charge
for a ≤ ρ ≤ b
ρl
D = aρ , C/m 2
2πρ
for ρ > b, D = 0

LECTURE 5 slide 9
 Gauss’ Law Applications: Field of Sheet Charge
E lx
∫∫ D ⋅ ds = Q = ρ s ⋅ A δ
S ly an
A = lxl y
z y ρs S
x E an

∫∫ Dz dxdy − ∫∫ Dz dxdy + ∫∫ D ⋅ ds = ρ s A
top bottom sides
0

due to symmetry: Dztop = − Dzbottom = D

ρs ρs D
⇒ D = ± az ⇒ E = = ± az
2 ε 2ε
This result was already obtain in Lecture 3 by the superposition
principle. LECTURE 5 slide 10
 Gauss’ Law Applications: Field of Spherical Charge

A sphere of radius a has uniformly distributed charge of

volume density ρv, C/m3. Determine the electric flux density
in the sphere and out of it.
spherical symmetry of the source implies spherical symmetry of
field
choose integration surface as sphere

(1) inside the sphere

∫∫ D ⋅ ds = Q( R) = ∫∫∫ ρv dv
S ( R) v( R)

4 R
Dr ( R ) ⋅ 4π R = ρv π R ⇒ Dr ( R ) = ρv
2 3
3 3

LECTURE 5 slide 11
 Gauss’ Law Applications: Field of Spherical Charge
(2) outside the sphere
4 3
∫∫ D ⋅ ds = Q = ∫∫∫ ρv dv = ρv 3 π a
S v
4 3
Dr ( R ) ⋅ 4π R = Q = ρ v π a
2
3 Dr
Q 1 a3 ρv a
⇒ Dr ( R ) = = ρv 2
4π R 2
3 R 3
∼ 1/ R 2
0 a R

outside sphere field is the same as that of a point charge

LECTURE 5 slide 12
Gauss’ Law Applications: Field of Spherical Charge

E-field magnitude in 3-D space

LECTURE 5 slide 13
 You have learned about:
the flux density vector D, its relation to the charge Q and to the E
vector
Gauss’ law of electrostatics
the application of Gauss’ law to the solution of symmetrical
problems

LECTURE 5 slide 14