Chapter 23 Concepts - Gauss's Law Flashcards
Define Gauss’s Law
Gauss’s law relates the electric field at points on a (closed) gaussian surface to the net charge enclosed by that surface
Define electric flux
the amount of electric field piercing an object
units: N*m^2/C
What is the general rule relating to the electric field and electric flux directionality?
An inward piercing field is a negative flux. An outward piercing field is a positive flux. A skimming field is zero flux.
AKA: If the enclosed charge is positive, flux is outward
If enclosed charge is negative, flux is inward.
What is the important conductor theorem derived from Gauss’s law?
If an excess charge is placed on an isolated conductor, that amount of charge will move entirely to the surface of the conductor. None of the excess charges will be found within the body of the conductor.
Define electrostatic equilibrium
achieved when the movement of charge seizes; net force is zero on each charge
What is the first shell theorem in the context of Gauss’s Law?
A shell of uniform charge attracts or repels a charged particle that is outside the shell as if all the shell’s charge were concentrated at the center of the shell.
What is the second shell theorem?
If a charged particle is located inside a shell of uniform charge, there is no electrostatic force on the particle from the shell