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Q.What is meant by Electric Flux? State Gauss's law in electrostatics and, using this, find the expression for electric field intensity due to a uniformly charged infinite plane sheet.

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Write the definition and unit of Electric Potential. Two point charges of 0.12 μC0.12\,\mu\text{C} and −0.06 μC-0.06\,\mu\text{C} respectively are situated mutually at a distance of 3.0 metre. Find the electric potential at the mid-point P of both. How much work will be done to bring another charge of 0.2 μC0.2\,\mu\text{C} from infinity to mid-point P?
Uttarakhand UbseUttarakhand Board Intermediate (Class 12) 2022Subjective· 5mImportance★★★★★
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Electric flux measures field lines through a surface; Gauss's law relates flux to enclosed charge, and gives E=σ/2ε0E=\sigma/2\varepsilon_0 for an infinite sheet.

Electric Flux: The electric flux Δϕ\Delta\phi through a small area element ΔA⃗\Delta\vec{A} is defined as Δϕ=E⃗⋅ΔA⃗\Delta\phi = \vec{E}\cdot\Delta\vec{A} -- a measure of the number of electric field lines passing through that area. The total flux through a closed surface is ϕ=∮E⃗⋅dA⃗\phi = \oint \vec{E}\cdot d\vec{A}.

Gauss's Law: The total electric flux through any closed surface (a 'Gaussian surface') equals 1ε0\dfrac{1}{\varepsilon_0} times the total charge enclosed by that surface:

∮E⃗⋅dA⃗=qencε0\oint \vec{E}\cdot d\vec{A} = \dfrac{q_{enc}}{\varepsilon_0}

Field due to an infinite plane sheet of charge (using Gauss's law):

Consider an infinite plane sheet with uniform surface charge density σ\sigma. By symmetry, the field E⃗\vec{E} must be perpendicular to the sheet and point away from it on both sides (for positive σ\sigma), with equal magnitude at equal perpendicular distances.

Choose a cylindrical (pillbox) Gaussian surface of cross-sectional area AA, with its axis perpendicular to the sheet and with the sheet bisecting it, so that one flat face lies on each side at equal distance from the sheet.

Flux through the curved surface is zero (E is parallel to it). Flux through each flat end cap is E⋅AE\cdot A, so total flux =2EA= 2EA.

Charge enclosed =σA= \sigma A.

By Gauss's law: 2EA=σAε02EA = \dfrac{\sigma A}{\varepsilon_0}

E=σ2ε0E = \dfrac{\sigma}{2\varepsilon_0}

Notably, this field is uniform -- independent of the distance from the sheet.

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