To get a feel for what to expect, let’s calculate the electric flux through a spherical surface around a positive point charge q, since we already know the electric field in such a situation. Now, what happens to the electric flux if there are some charges inside the enclosed volume? Gauss’s law gives a quantitative answer to this question. Therefore, if a closed surface does not have any charges inside the enclosed volume, then the electric flux through the surface is zero. We found that if a closed surface does not have any charge inside where an electric field line can terminate, then any electric field line entering the surface at one point must necessarily exit at some other point of the surface.
We can now determine the electric flux through an arbitrary closed surface due to an arbitrary charge distribution. Apply Gauss’s law in appropriate systems.Explain the conditions under which Gauss’s law may be used.By the end of this section, you will be able to:
