Lecture 13

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Notes

Electric Flux Density, Gausss Law

and Divergence
Text:
Application of
Gausss Law

EE261 Electromagnetic Theory

April 02, 2015

Dr. Mubeen Masud

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
13.1

Agenda

Application of Gausss Law

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Application of
Gausss Law

13.2

Notes

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions
Let us start from Gausss law:
I
Q=
DS .dS

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Notes

(1)

To find DS , solution becomes easy if following conditions

are met:
1
DS is everywhere either normal or tangential to the
closed surface.
2
On that portion of the closed surface for which DS .dS
is not zero, DS is constant.
This allows us to replace dot product with product of
scalars DS and S and then
R to bring DS outside the
integral which becomes S dS.
Only knowledge of symmetry enables us to select such a
closed surface e.g. Electric field intensity of a positive
point charge is directed radially outwards.

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions

Application of
Gausss Law

13.3

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Let us consider a point charge at origin then the surface

in question will be spherical surface, centered at origin
with any radius r. DS is everywhere normal to the surface
and DS is same at all points on surface. So
I

Application of
Gausss Law

I
DS .dS =

Q=
S

DS dS
sph

I
= DS
=

sph
2
4r DS

=2

dS = DS
=0

and hence
DS =

Q
4r 2

r 2 sindd

(2)

=0

(3)

13.4

Notes

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Notes

Since r may have any value and DS is radially outward we

have
D=

Q
ar
4r 2

E=

Q
ar
40 r 2

(4)

Are there any other surfaces which would have satisfied

the two conditions?
As a second example consider uniform line charge
distribution L lying around z-axis and extending from
to . We must have a knowledge of the symmetry so the
two questions are:
1
With which coordinate does the field vary
2
Which components of D are present.
These two conditions are musts here and if we cannot
show that the symmetry exists then we cannot apply
Gausss law to solve the problem.

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions

Application of
Gausss Law

13.5

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

For the line charge example from previous discussions it

is evident that radial component of D is present or.
D = D a

(5)

and this component is fuction of

D = f ()

Application of
Gausss Law

(6)

13.6

Notes

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Notes

Let us assume a cylinder as shown in Fig. 6 as Gaussian

surface. Then
I

Z
DS .dS = DS

Q=
cyl

Z
dS + 0

sides

dS
top

Application of
Gausss Law

Z
+0

dS
bottom
Z L

(7)

= DS

ddz = DS 2L
z=0

=0

Q
= DS = D =
2L
In terms of charge density Q = L L giving D =
L
E = 2
0

L
2

or

13.7

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Application of
Gausss Law

The case of a coaxial cable is similar to line charge but is

extremely difficult to solve using Coulombs law. Let us
assume radius of inner cylinder as a and out as b, each
cylinders infinite in extent. Let us assume charge
distribution of S on the outer surface of inner cylinder.
Symmetry suggest only D will exist and it can be
function of . Assuming cylinder of length L and radius
as Gaussian surface then:
13.8

Notes

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions
Q = DS 2L

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Notes

(8)

The charge on the inner conductor with length L would be

Z

Q=

S addz = 2aLS
z=0

(9)

=0

Application of
Gausss Law

from which we can conclude

DS =

aS

D=

aS
a

(a < < b)

(10)

Assuming unit length for inner conductor we have

Q = L L = L = 2aS Thus
D=

L
a
2

(11)
13.9

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Since equal and opposite charge will be induced on the

inner surface of outer conductor. We can deduce that:
Qouter cylinder = 2aLS, inner cylinder

(12)

and surface charge on outer cylinder would be

Application of
Gausss Law

or

2bLS, outer cylinder = 2aLS, inner cylinder

(13)

a
S, outer cylinder = S, inner cylinder
b

(14)

If a cylinder with radius > b is considered as a

Gaussian surface then,
Qtotal = 0 = DS 2L
= DS = 0

( > b)

(15)
13.10

Notes

Application of Gausss Law: Some Symmetrical Charge

Distributions

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Notes

An identical result can be obtained for < a. Thus

coaxial cable of capacitor has no external field and there
is no field inside the inner conductor as well.
Our result is also useful for finite length cable as long as
its length is larger than b.
Example 3.2

Application of
Gausss Law

Let us select a 50-cm length of coaxial cable having an

inner radius of 1mm and an outer radius of 4mm. The
space between conductors is assumed to be filled with
air. The total charge on the inner conductor is 30 nC. We
wish to know the charge density on each conductor and
the E and D fields.
Solution.
13.11

Application of Gausss Law: Differential Volume

Element

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Let us consider the case where symmetry does not exist

and we cannot form a Gaussian surface. In this case let
us assume a very small close surface where D can be
assumed to be constant as shown in Figure below.
Application of
Gausss Law

This example is also different from preceding cases as

we shall not determine D as our answer rather we are
interested in information that how D varies in region of
our small surface.

13.12

Notes

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Application of Gausss Law: Differential Volume

Element
Let us consider a point P and D is defined at P as D =
Dx0 ax + Dy 0 ay + Dz0 az . We choose as our closed
surface the small rectangular box centered at P having
sides x, y and z. Applying Gausss law:
I
D.dS = Q
(16)
S

Notes

Application of
Gausss Law

Integral must be evaluated on six surfaces. Thus

I
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
D.dS =
+
+
+
+
+
S

front

back

left

right

top

bottom

(17)
Consider the integral at front surface:
Z
= Dfront .Sfront = Dfront .y zax
front

(18)

= Dx,front .y z

13.13

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Application of Gausss Law: Differential Volume

Element
We have to determine approximate value of Dx at front
face. Since front face is x/2 from P so:
x
rate of change of Dx with x
2
(19)
x Dx
= Dx0 +
2 x


Z
x Dx
=
= Dx0 +
y z
(20)
2 x
front

Dx,front = Dx0 +

Application of
Gausss Law

Similarly
Z
= Dback .Sback = Dback .(y zax )
back

(21)

= Dx,back y z
13.14

Notes

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Application of Gausss Law: Differential Volume

Element

Notes

Since
x Dx
Dx,back = Dx0
2 x


Z
x Dx
=
= Dx0 +
y z
2 x
back
combining front and back integrals we have
Z
Z
Dx
+
=
xy z
x
front
back
Following similar procedure gives
Z
Z
Dy
+
=
xy z
y
right
left
Z
Z
Dz
+
=
xy z
z
top
bottom

(22)
Application of
Gausss Law

(23)

(24)
13.15

Electric Flux
Density, Gausss
Law and
Divergence

Application of Gausss Law: Differential Volume

Element
Combining all six integrals we get


I
Dy
Dz
Dx
+
+
xy z
D.dS =
x
y
z
S
or


I
Dy
Dx
Dz
D.dS = Q =
+
+
v
x
y
z
S

(25)

(26)

Application of
Gausss Law

This expression is approximation which becomes better

as v approaches zero.
Example3.3 Find an approximate value of total charge
enclosed in an incremental volume of 109 m3 located at
origin if D = ex sin y ax ex cos y ay +2zaz C/m2 .
Solution.

13.16

Notes