CHAPTER (3)

ELECTRIC FLUX
DENSITY

Electric flux ( ):

The electric flux concept is based on the following rules:

1- Electric flux begins from (+ ve) charge and ends
to (-ve) charge
2- Electric field at a point is tangent to the electric
flux line passing with this point and out wide.

3- In the absence of (-ve) charge the electric flux

terminates at infinity.
4- The magnitude of the electric field at a point is
proportional to the magnitude of the electric flux
density at this point.
5- The number of electric flux lines from a (+ ve) charge Q
is equal to Q in SI unit
=

Electric flux density

displacement vector):

is defined
In free space, the electric flux density vector
as

=
,

Where: equals the number of electric lines that are

normal to the surface S
.
=

due to Point Charge

Relation Between and

If we locate a point charge Q at the origin, the electric flux

can be evaluated by dividing by the surface area of
density
the sphere, thus
=

on the surface at due to Q, is

The expression for
=

 and
, it can be seen that
From the expressions for

and
was derived using a Point charge Q,
The relation between
but also it is valid for general charge distribution,

From Faradays experiment, it is found that, and thus

are independent of the dielectric media in which Q is
embedded.

Example:
Find the electric flux that passes through the
surface shown in the figure. Where:
=
+

Solution
.
=

+
.

=

= [] = =

Gausss law

As it is stated before, the total electric flux emanating from a

charge + Q [C] is equal to Q [C] in the SI units.
The previous statement can be restated by saying that the
total electric flux passing through any closed imaginary
surface, enclosing the charge Q [C], is equal to Q [C] in the
SI units.
Since the charge Q is enclosed by the closed surface, so the
charge Q will be named as .

Gausss law states that: the total flux out of a closed

surface is equal to the net charges within the surface. This
can be written in integral form as:

.
= =
=

and then
by
Gausss law is used in order to determine
outside the closed surface integral. This can be
getting
executed by choosing Gaussian surface that satisfies the
be independent of ds
following conditions, such that
variables.

Conditions for Gausss law:

1- The surface or volume contained charges must
has degree of symmetry.
must be defined in the surface (
).
2-
must be uniform on the Gaussian surface
3-

4- The Gaussian surface must be identical to the

body contained the charge.

Note:
1- Gausss law is not used for all cases of charges, but it
can be used only for the cases where the chosen
Gaussian surface satisfy the previous conditions.
2- Gausss law is used for the following cases:
Infinite line charges and coaxial charged cylinders
Infinite charged sheet
Concentric charged spheres
Example:
Find the electric flux density at a point p( , , ) due to an
infinite charged line of at z-axis.
Solution:
.
(1)
=

(2) Choice of Gaussian surface

(3) =

( ) =
(4) .
= .

(5) =
=

(6)

= =

(7)

+
+
+
+
+
+
+

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

(rc,

L
y

Example:
and
inside and outside a sphere of radius (a) and
Find
surface charge density .

Solution:

Region 1 <
.
(1)
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surface
(3) =
.
.
=
(4)
=

(5) =
=

(6)

=

(7)
=
Region 2 >
(1) .
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surface
(3) =

=
(4) .
= .
(5) =

(6) =

= =

(7)

Rs

rs

Example:
and
in all regions for a spherical shell of
Find
radii a, b and volume charge density
b
a

rs

Solution:
Region 1 <
.
(1)
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surface
(3) =

.
.

(4)
=

(5) =
=

(6)
= =

(7)

Region 2 < <

.
(1)
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surface

(3) = ( )

.
.
=
(4)
=

(5)
(6)

=
=

( )

( )

= =

(7)

Region 3 >

( )

.
(1)
=

(2) Choice of Gaussian surface

(3) =

( )

.
.
=
(4)
=

(5) =
( )

=
(6)

( )

=
(7)
=

( )

Example:
In the figure shown, find the electric field intensity in
all regions.
V

b
a

(I) (II)

(III)

Solution
Region 1 <

.
(1)
=

(2) Choice of Gaussian surface

(3) =

.
.
( ) =
(4)
=

(5) =

=

(6)

=

(7)
=

Region 2 < <

.
(1)
=

(2) Choice of Gaussian surface

(3) =

.
.
( ) =
(4)
=

(5) =
=

(6)

=

(7)

=

Region 3 >
.
(1)
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surface

(3) =

.
.
( ) =
(4)
=

(5) =

(6)

= =

(7)

Example:
Find the electric field intensity in all regions for the
following charge configurations:
- Point charge Q is located at the center.
- Conducting sphere of radius a and of charge s.
- A volume charge of v in a spherical shell of
radii b, c.

b
IV

Solution:

+
+
+
+

+ + II+
+a
D(
+
Q
+
+
+
+
+ +

C
Region 1 <
v
.
(1)
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surfa
(3) =

.
.

(4)
=

(5) =

=

(6)

=

(7)

=

Region 2 < <
.
(1)
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surface
(3) = +

.
.

(4)
=

(5)

= +

(6)
(7)

= =

Region 3 < <

.
(1)
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surface

(3) = + +
(4)
(5)

(6)
(7)

( )

.
.

= + + ( )

+ + ( )

+ ( )
+

Region 4 >

.
(1)
=
(2) Choice of Gaussian surface

(3) = + +
(4)
(5)

(6)
(7)

( )

.
.

= + + ( )

+ +

( )

+ ( )

Divergence
equals the net flux of the vector
that
The divergence of
flows outwardly through a closed surface S per unit volume
(enclosed by ) as the volume goes to zero.

Divergence Law

.

= .

= [ ]
.

The general form of the divergence can be written as

=
.

( ) +
( )

+
( )

Where, , , are the variables of the coordinates

system, and , , are the factors multiplied by
the differentiable of the variables. So
For Cartesian coordinates
=
.

+
+

For Cylinderical coordinates

+
+

For Spherical coordinates
=
.

=
.

(
)

Proof of Divergence Law

Let a cube enclosed at its center the point (xo,yo,zo) and the
crossing the cube surface at this
electric field density
point and is giving by:
=
+
+

D(x+x)

D(x)
dS

for the cube, all six faces

.
In order to express
is outward since the
must be taken, the direction of
faces are normal to the three axes. Only one component of

will cross any two surface. Thus, Its required to

. We take at the first the surface in + x

.
find
direction and in x direction.

D d S = (D

Xo

( )

x + DYo y + D Zo z ) yz X left + D(x + x ) x yz x right

D
x +
x
D

D
d
S
D
z
x
Xo Y

o x x yz

D
D d S = x Dxyz
D y

=
D
d
S
Dxyz
backed , front

y
D z

D
d
S
D x yz
top ,bottom =

z
D

D d S = D Xo Y z + xo x x yz
D
D

d
S
=
Dxyz

x
Dy
D

d
S

=
Dxyz
backed
,
front

D(x + x ) = D(x O ) +

D d S top ,bottom =
D X

=
+
D
d
S

D X
D d S =
x
=

Dz
Dxyz
z

DY D Z
+
y
z

xyz

DY
D Z
v = Q
+
+
y
z

DY
D Z
Q D X
=
+
+
=D
v
x
y
z

Example:
A charged sphere of v and radius a, the electric flux
density D for rs < a is given by:
and for rs > a is given by: D =

10 5 rs
D=
rs ,
3

10 5 a 3
3rs

Find v in the previous two regions.

Solution:
D=

1
h1 h2 h3

(
)
(
)
(
)
h
h
D
h
h
D
h
h
D
+
+
2 3 rs
1 3
1 2

rs

where :

h1 = 1, h2 = rs , h3 = rs sin

for rs < a :
1
v = D = 2
rs sin

rs

rs 2 sin 10 5 rs

+ 0 + 0

10 5
v = D = 2 3rs 2 = 10 5 C / m 3
3rs

for rs > a :
2
1 rs sin 10 5 a 3
v = D = 2

+0+0 = 0
2

r
3rs
rs sin s

v = ?
v = ?
a

Divergence Theorem:
.

= =

From divergence law,

So

= [ ]
.

= = = .

We can transfer the surface integral into a volume
integral. For the left-hand side to be equal the right
hand side of divergence theorem, the following
conditions must be fulfilled:

Must be well behaved within the volume v and on

the surface

Note:
and .
are
Well behaved means that
continuous and defined (not infinite).

Example:
10 x 3
Given D = 3 x evaluate both sides of the divergence

theorem for the volume of cube 2m on edge centered at

the origin and with edges parallel to the axis.

Solution:
z

z
x

D d S = D dv
L.H .S =

D dS
1 1

1 1

10 x 3
10 x 3

=
X dydzX X =! +
X dydzX X = ! +0 + 0
3
3
1 1
1 1
10(1)
40
22=
C
3
3
40
40 80
=
+
=
C
3
3
3
3

R.H .S =

D dv

10 x 3
2
D =

= 10 x
x
3

x3
2
D dv = 10 x dxdydz = 10 2 2
3 1
1 1 1
10
[1 + 1] 2 2 = 80 C
=
3
3
1 1 1

Example:
2

5r
D = s rs
4

Given

evaluate both sides of divergence

theorem for volume: r = 4m , = 4

z

Solution:

r = 4m

= 45o

D d S = D dv
L.H .S = D d S

2 4

5r
2
= s rs rs rs sin dd rs = 4
4
0 0

5(4 ) 4
5(4 )
( cos )04
=
sin d d =
4 0
4
0
4

= 589.1 C

D =
=

rs

2
4rs
2
1
rs sin

r
4
sin
s

5
2
4rs = 5rs
2
4rs

RHS =

D dv =

5rs
=
4

2 4 4

5rs r

sin drs d d

0 0 0

( cos )04

2 = 589.1C