Electric Flux Density

Gauss's Law

Set 3 a
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Electric Flux Density

Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Electric Flux Density (D)

Flux lines show the direction and density of the
flux.

Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Electric Flux Density (D)

Electric flux density is a vector field describing
the number of flux lines crossing an area normal
to the lines.
It is denoted as D (originally from the word
Displacement).
The direction of D at a point is the direction of
the flux lines at that point.
The D at a point (r) meters from a point charge
can be given as:
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Electric Flux Density (D)

The flux lines are symmetrically directed
outward from the point and pass through an
imaginary spherical surface of area
.
Comparing with the radial electric field intensity
E (discussed earlier) of a point charge in free
space and given as:
Therefore, we can relate E and D as:
Note that
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Electric Flux Density (D)

D is independent of the medium:

The Electric flux

of D as:

can be defined in terms

D is measured in
.
All formulas derived for E from Coulomb's law
can be used in calculating D, except that we
have to multiply those formulas by
.
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Electric Flux Density (D)

For example, for an infinite sheet of charge, the
eqn. for field intensity:

gives D
and for a volume charge distribution, the eqn.
for field intensity:
gives

Later in this course, D will be applied to dielectric

materials, rather than free space only.
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Example 1
Recall: D is a function of charge and position
only; it is independent of the medium.
Example 1: Determine D at P(4, 0, 3) if there is
a point charge
at P1(4, 0, 0) and a line
charge
along the
as shown:

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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Example 1- Cont.
Solution:

Now: For the line charge

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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

Example 1- Cont.
In this case:

And
So
Thus, the total density will be:

End of Example 1
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Gauss's Law
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Gauss's Law
Gauss's law is one of the fundamental laws of
electromagnetism.
Gauss's law provides an easy means of finding E
or D for symmetrical charge distributions such as
a point charge, an infinite line charge, an infinite
cylindrical surface charge, and spherical charge.

Gauss's law is an alternative statement of

Coulomb's law as we will see later, when
applying the divergence theorem to Coulomb's
law. It results in Gauss's law.
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Gauss's Law
Gauss's law states that: The total electric flux
through any closed surface is equal to the total
charge enclosed by that surface.
In general
. From the fig, what is
the total flux
leaving the
closed surfaces
(or Volumes)
and
??
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Gauss's Law
From , the total flux leaving is
From , the total flux leaving is 0. Why?
Because no charge is enclosed in that volume.
Note that according Gauss's law, the net flux
ignores those charges outside and
.
A continuous charge distribution has rectangular
symmetry if it depends only on
,
cylindrical symmetry on
, or spherical
symmetry on
(independent of
and ).
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Gauss's Law
Considering the
volume shown in
the fig. enclosing
a set of point
charges .
The flux crossing
is then the product of the
normal component of
and
, so we can
express
:
The total flux passing through the closed surface is:
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Gauss's Law
Note that: the surface element
always
involves the differentials of two coordinates,
such as
,
or
Now, we can present the mathematical
formulation of Gauss's law:

The enclosed surface is called Gaussian Surface.

Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Gauss's Law
The enclosed charge can be several point charges
, a line, surface, or volume charge.
For a line charge
For a surface charge

For a volume charge

The last form is usually used as it can represent

the other forms., so Gauss's law can be written in
terms of charge distribution as:
What does this formula mean??
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Applications of Gauss's Law 1

The above formula means that: The total electric
flux through any closed surface is equal to the
charge enclosed.
Applications of Gauss's Law.
First, Check Faradays Experiment: Place a point
charge at the origin of a SCS. The Gaussian
Surface is a sphere with radius (see next fig.)
Recall: The electric field intensity of a point
charge:
and flux density:
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Applications of Gauss's Law 1

So,
Now, at the surface of
the sphere:
The differential element
of area on a spherical
surface, in spherical
coordinates (see page 11
in slide 1_d) is
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Applications of Gauss's Law 1

The integrand is then:

The closed surface integral can be written as:

this proves
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Applications of Gauss's Law 1

that
Coulombs of electric flux are crossing
the surface, as the enclosed charge is
Coulombs.

Example follows

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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Example 2
Example 2: The cylindrical surface
cm contains the surface
charge density
(a) What is the total amount of
x
charge present?
(b) How much flux leaves the surface
where
and

cm,
?

Solution
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Example 2
Solution: (a) We integrate over the surface to
find the charge: recall

(b) We just integrate the charge density on that

surface defined by
and
to find the flux that leaves it.

Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Applications of Gauss's Law 2

To apply Gauss's law, to calculate the electric
field, It must involve the following:
1) Knowing whether symmetry exists.
2) Once symmetric charge distribution exists, we
construct a mathematical closed surface
(Gaussian surface).
3) The surface is chosen such that D is normal or
tangential to the Gaussian surface.
4) When D is normal to the surface,
because D is constant everywhere on the surface.
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Applications of Gauss's Law 2

5) When D is tangential to the surface,
For example, we, revisit the case of a point charge
in the origin of a sphere.
A. Point Charge:
To determine D at a point P,
it is easy to see that choosing
a spherical surface containing
P will satisfy symmetry conditions. Thus, a spherical
surface as shown in the fig. is the Gaussian surface.
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Applications of Gauss's Law 2

In this case, D is everywhere normal to the
Gauss. surface and constant, that is,
.
Now, applying Gauss's law
gives:

where
Thus,

and

Note that: We only needed to integrate

Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

.
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Applications of Gauss's Law 2

B. Infinite Uniform Line Charge:
Suppose an infinite line of
uniform charge
lies
along the
.
To determine D at a point
P, we choose a cylindrical surface
containing P to satisfy symmetry condition as
shown.
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Applications of Gauss's Law 2

D is constant on and normal to the cylindrical
Gaussian surface, so: apply Gauss's law to an
arbitrary length of the line:

Or as
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

, finally
Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

. Note that
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Applications of Gauss's Law 2

D has no
on the top and bottom
surfaces, which means that D is tangential to
those surfaces.
The electric field can then be found:

The same result is achieved with much less work.

I.e. the integration is only over the area of the
chosen symmetric surface at which D is normal.
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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You have learned about

The flux density vector D and how it relates to
the charge Q and the E vector.
Gauss law of electrostatics.
The application of Gauss law to the solution of
symmetrical problems.

Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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Suggested Problems & HW

Suggested Problems from text book:
3.2, .3.4, 3.7, 3.8, 3.10, 3.13, 3.15

HW (3): 3.7, 3.13, 3.15

Submission date: The week after concluding

this slide.
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Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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End of Set 3 a
Electric Flux Density
Gauss's Law

Thank You for Your

Attention
Dr. Zuhair M. Hejaz

Set 3 a Electric Flux Density

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