If a point charge Q is placed at the center of a spherical Gaussian surface, what is the total electric flux through the surface?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
If a point charge Q is placed at the center of a spherical Gaussian surface, what is the total electric flux through the surface?
0
Q/ε₀
Q/4πε₀
4πQ/ε₀
According to Gauss's law, the total electric flux through a closed surface is equal to the charge enclosed divided by ε₀, thus Φ = Q/ε₀.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: If a point charge Q is placed at the center of a spherical Gaussian surface, what is the total electric flux through the surface?
Solution: According to Gauss's law, the total electric flux through a closed surface is equal to the charge enclosed divided by ε₀, thus Φ = Q/ε₀.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand what a point charge is. A point charge is a charged object that is very small compared to the distance from it to other objects.
Step 2: Know what a spherical Gaussian surface is. It is an imaginary sphere used to help calculate electric fields and flux.
Step 3: Remember Gauss's law. It states that the total electric flux (Φ) through a closed surface is equal to the charge (Q) inside the surface divided by a constant (ε₀).
Step 4: Identify the charge inside the Gaussian surface. In this case, it is the point charge Q placed at the center.
Step 5: Apply Gauss's law. Since the charge Q is at the center, the total electric flux through the spherical surface is Φ = Q/ε₀.
Step 6: Conclude that the total electric flux through the surface is determined by the charge inside it.
