Transcript Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Gauss’s Law
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
Electric Flux
• The electric flux is proportional to the number of
electric field lines penetrating some surface
• The field lines may make some angle θ with the
perpendicular to the surface
• Then
ΦE = EA cos θ
• The flux is a maximum (zero) when the surface is
perpendicular (parallel) to the field
Electric Flux
• If the field varies over the surface, Φ = EA cos θ is
valid for only a small element of the area
• In the more general case, look at a small area
element
E Ei Ai cos θi Ei Ai
• In general, this becomes
E lim
Ai 0
E
surface
E
i
Ai
E dA
Electric Flux
• The surface integral means the integral must be
evaluated over the surface in question
• The value of the flux depends both on the field
pattern and on the surface
• SI units: N.m2/C
E lim
Ai 0
E
surface
E
i
Ai
E dA
Electric Flux, Closed Surface
• For a closed surface, by convention, the A vectors
are perpendicular to the surface at each point and
point outward
• (1) θ < 90o, Φ > 0
• (2) θ = 90o, Φ = 0
• (3) 180o > θ > 90o, Φ < 0
Electric Flux, Closed Surface
• The net flux through the surface is proportional to
the number of lines leaving the surface minus the
number entering the surface
E E dA En dA
Electric Flux, Closed Surface
• Example: flux through a cube
• The field lines pass perpendicularly through two
surfaces and are parallel to the other four surfaces
• Side 1: Φ = – E l2
• Side 2: Φ = E l2
• For the other sides, Φ = 0
• Therefore, Φtotal = 0
Chapter 24
Problem 5
A pyramid with horizontal square base, 6.00 m on each side, and a
height of 4.00 m is placed in a vertical electric field of 52.0 N/C.
Calculate the total electric flux through the pyramid’s four slanted
surfaces.
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
E
Qinside
o
• 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)
Gauss’ Law
• A positive point charge q is located at the center of a
sphere of radius r
• The magnitude of the electric field everywhere on the
surface of the sphere is E = keq / r2
• Asphere = 4πr2
E E dA E dA
q
q
2
k e 2 4r 4ke q
r
0
Gauss’ Law
• Gaussian surfaces of various shapes
can surround the charge (only S1 is
spherical)
• The electric flux is proportional to
the number of electric field lines
penetrating these surfaces, and this
number is the same
• Thus the net flux through any closed
surface surrounding a point charge q
is given by q/o and is independent of
the shape of the surface
Gauss’ Law
• If the charge is outside the closed
surface of an arbitrary shape, then
any field line entering the surface
leaves at another point
• Thus the electric flux through a
closed surface that surrounds no
charge is zero
Gauss’ Law
• Since the electric field due to many charges is the
vector sum of the electric fields produced by the
individual charges, the flux through any closed
surface can be expressed as
E E dA E1 E2 ... dA
• Although Gauss’s law can, in theory, be solved to find
for any charge configuration, in practice it is limited to
symmetric situations
• One should choose a Gaussian surface over which the
surface integral can be simplified and the electric field
determined
Field Due to a Spherically Symmetric
Charge Distribution
• For r > a
Q
2
E E dA E dA E 4r
0
Q
Q
E
2 ke
2
40 r
r
• For r < a
2 qin
E E dA E dA E 4r
4r / 3
r
E
2
3 0
40 r
3
0
Field Due to a Spherically Symmetric
Charge Distribution
• Inside the sphere, E varies
linearly with r (E → 0 as r → 0)
• The field outside the sphere is
equivalent to that of a point
charge located at the center of
the sphere
Chapter 24
Problem 18
A solid sphere of radius 40.0 cm has a total positive charge of 26.0
μC uniformly distributed throughout its volume. Calculate the
magnitude of the electric field (a) 0 cm, (b) 10.0 cm, (c) 40.0 cm,
and (d) 60.0 cm from the center of the sphere.
Electric Field of a Charged Thin
Spherical Shell
• The calculation of the field outside the shell is
identical to that of a point charge
Q
Q
E
ke 2
2
4r o
r
• The electric field inside the shell is zero
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
σ
σA 0
E
E2A 0
2ε o
εo
Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium
• When no net motion of charge occurs within a
conductor, the conductor is said to be in
electrostatic equilibrium
• An isolated conductor has the following properties:
• Property 1: The electric field is zero everywhere
inside the conducting material
• If this were not true there were an electric field inside
the conductor, the free charge there would move and
there would be a flow of charge – the conductor
would not be in equilibrium
Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium
• When no net motion of charge occurs within a
conductor, the conductor is said to be in
electrostatic equilibrium
• An isolated conductor has the following properties:
• Property 2: Any excess charge on an isolated
conductor resides entirely on its surface
• The electric field (and thus the flux) inside is zero
whereas the Gaussian surface can be as close to the
actual surface as desired, thus there can be no
charge inside the surface and any net charge must
reside on the surface
Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium
• When no net motion of charge occurs within a
conductor, the conductor is said to be in
electrostatic equilibrium
• An isolated conductor has the following properties:
• Property 3: The electric field just outside a charged
conductor is perpendicular to the surface and has a
magnitude of σ/εo
• If this was not true, the component along the surface
would cause the charge to move – no equilibrium
σA
σ
E EA
and E
εo
εo
Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium
• When no net motion of charge occurs within a
conductor, the conductor is said to be in
electrostatic equilibrium
• An isolated conductor has the following properties:
• Property 4: On an irregularly shaped conductor, the
charge accumulates at locations where the radius of
curvature of the surface is smallest
• Proof – see Chapter 25
Answers to Even Numbered Problems
Chapter 24:
Problem 64
For r < a: /20r; radially outward.
For a < r < b: [ + (r2a2)]/20r; radially
outward.
For r > b: [ + (b2a2)]/20r; radially
outward.