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    Lecture 3 Gauss Law PH 222 PRINT 1

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    Patrick Sibanda
    The electric field inside a conductor is always zero under electrostatic conditions. This is because the mobile charges inside the conductor will redistribute themselves to cancel out any electric field. Near the surface of a conductor, the electric field points tangent to the surface. This is because the excess charges on the conductor distribute themselves uniformly over the surface to minimize their electric potential energy. So the electric field lines originate from the excess positive charges and terminate on the excess negative charges, both located on the surface. Therefore the electric field is parallel to the surface and points tangent to it. In summary, the direction of the electric field near the surface of a conductor under electrostatic conditions is tangent to the surface of the conductor.

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    Lecture 3 Gauss Law PH 222 PRINT 1

    Uploaded by

    Patrick Sibanda
    113 views34 pages
    The electric field inside a conductor is always zero under electrostatic conditions. This is because the mobile charges inside the conductor will redistribute themselves to cancel out any electric field. Near the surface of a conductor, the electric field points tangent to the surface. This is because the excess charges on the conductor distribute themselves uniformly over the surface to minimize their electric potential energy. So the electric field lines originate from the excess positive charges and terminate on the excess negative charges, both located on the surface. Therefore the electric field is parallel to the surface and points tangent to it. In summary, the direction of the electric field near the surface of a conductor under electrostatic conditions is tangent to the surface of the conductor.

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    Gauss law lecture notes

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    Lecture 3 Gauss Law Ph 222 PRINT 1

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    The electric field inside a conductor is always zero under electrostatic conditions. This is because the mobile charges inside the conductor will redistribute themselves to cancel out any electric field. Near the surface of a conductor, the electric field points tangent to the surface. This is because the excess charges on the conductor distribute themselves uniformly over the surface to minimize their electric potential energy. So the electric field lines originate from the excess positive charges and terminate on the excess negative charges, both located on the surface. Therefore the electric field is parallel to the surface and points tangent to it. In summary, the direction of the electric field near the surface of a conductor under electrostatic conditions is tangent to the surface of the conductor.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    113 views34 pages

    Lecture 3 Gauss Law PH 222 PRINT 1

    Uploaded by

    Patrick Sibanda
    The electric field inside a conductor is always zero under electrostatic conditions. This is because the mobile charges inside the conductor will redistribute themselves to cancel out any electric field. Near the surface of a conductor, the electric field points tangent to the surface. This is because the excess charges on the conductor distribute themselves uniformly over the surface to minimize their electric potential energy. So the electric field lines originate from the excess positive charges and terminate on the excess negative charges, both located on the surface. Therefore the electric field is parallel to the surface and points tangent to it. In summary, the direction of the electric field near the surface of a conductor under electrostatic conditions is tangent to the surface of the conductor.

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    You are on page 1of 34

    Andres

    1 La Rosa Lecture Notes


    Portland State University PH-212

    THE GAUSS' LAW

    Asymmetric charge
    distribution

    However, in some cases, a SYMMETRIC CHARGE DISTRIBUTION


    allows us to guess the orientation of the corresponding electric field.
    That is the case, for example, when we consider a INFINITELY-
    LONG line of uniform charge distribution (λ= charge per unit length.)

    Symmetric charge
    distribution

    +++++++++++++++++++++

    The electric field at any point away


    from the line (A and B, for instance)
    turns out to be perpendicular to the
    line.
    2

    Vertical line Since the points P, Q, R and S are at


    + the same distance from the charged-
    + line, the corresponding electric fields
    + should have the same magnitude:
    +
    +
    +
    +
    Hypothetical +
    ring on a +
    horizontal
    plane +
    +
    + It turns out, the Gauss's law will
    + allow calculating the magnitude, as
    + we will see below
    3

    The Gauss's law (to be described below) is a tool that allows to calculate (in a very
    simplified way) the electric field produced by symmetrically distributed charges
    Note: But keep in mind that Gauss's law is valid for both, symmetric or
    asymmetric charge distributions.
    4

    THE GAUSS' LAW


    Gauss's Law
    5

    Definition of the solid angle ΔΩ

    CASE: ΔS is parallel to r Magnitude of ΔS


    ΔS
    ΔΩ

    ΔΩ

    ΔΩ

    ΔS ΔΩ
    ΔS
    Sphere of
    radius R

    Total solid angle


    enclosed by a
    spherical surface
    6

    CASE: ΔS is not parallel to r

    ΔS ΔS
    ΔΩ

    ΔΩ

    ΔS
    7

    ΔS

    ΔΩ

    ΔS
    ΔΩ =

    ΔΩ =
    8

    Definition of the electric flux


    9

    Examples of electric flux


    10

    Question:
    What is the electric flux that crosses the surface ABCD?

    72
    N
    C
    11

    Questions
    11

    Electric flux through a closed surface


    CASE: The electric field is produced by one point-charge
    located inside the closed surface

    E ΔS Cos θ

    θ E

    ΔΩ

    Flux depends only on the solid angle,


    independent on the distance of ΔS to
    the point-charge !!

    = 4π
    13

    where
    φ is the electrical flux
    q crossing the mathematical
    surface S ,
    and
    q is the point charge
    inside the surface S

    CASE: More than one point-charge are


    located inside the mathematical closed surface
    q1 q2

    IN GENERAL
    net charge inside S

    Gauss' Law
    14

    Exercise

    CONCLUSION:
    Charges located outside the surface S do not contribute
    to the electric flux
    Exercise: Evaluate the electric flux across the surface S produced
    by the give discrete charges indicated in the figure

    q4
    q1 q3
    q2
    q5

    charge inside
    This result is
    valid for any
    arbitrary
    surface S
    q2 + q3

    q1, q2, q3 , q4 , q5
    E
    17

    Applying Gauss' Law to problems that present


    cylindrical symmetry
    18

    Applying Gauss' Law to problems that present


    planar symmetry

    See also textbook,


    page 617 S

    S cylindrical surface
    (it has a circular base of area A)
    19

    σ
    20
    21
    22

    Example

    σ1 σ2
    E1 E1 E1
    E1
    E2 E2 E2
    E2
    E
    EC = E1 + E2 =
    EA = E1 + E2

    Example

    σ1 σ2
    E1 E1 E1

    E2
    E1 =
    E2 E2
    + E2 =
    -
    E
    This arrangement of
    charges is used to
    describe
    (approximately) the
    working principle of a
    X CAPACITOR
    23

    Applying Gauss' Law to problems that present


    spherical symmetry

    CASE 1: Spherical
    E shell uniformly charged.

    Q is the total charge on the sphere

    Question:
    E inside the sphere?
    What is the electric field
    E (r) =
    Answer

    E
    S: Gaussian surface
    A spherical surface of radius r
    24

    Question:
    What is the electric field outside the sphere
    of radius R?

    S: Gaussian surface
    A spherical surface of radius r
    25

    E
    26

    CASE 2: Compact sphere of radius R


    E
    uniformly charged.

    S: Gaussian surface
    A spherical surface of radius r
    27

    E
    28
    29

    We have just determined the electric field E for


    positions r<R (that is, fields inside the charged dielectric
    sphere).

    Let's procedd calculating E for positions outside the


    sphere, that is for r>R
    30
    31
    32

    Under electrostatic conditions,


    what is the electric field inside a conductor?
    33

    A compact conductor has a total charge Q. Under


    electrostatic conditions, where are those charges
    located?

    Would there be
    charge inside the
    conducting sphere?
    R

    Let's use Gauss' law Gaussian


    surface
    r
    r<R

    Therefore, charge inside = 0

    There is not net charge inside the


    conductor.
    All the charges distribute at the
    outer surface of the conductor
    34

    What is the direction of the electric field near the


    surface of a conductor?

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