Calculating Electric Flux Leaving a Sphere from Point and Line Charges

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating electric flux leaving a sphere due to a point charge and a uniform line charge. A point charge of 20 nC is positioned at (4,-1,-3), while a line charge of -25 nC/m intersects the planes x=-4 and z=6. The key conclusion is that while the 5-radius sphere encloses the point charge, the total electric flux is zero because the line charge is not enclosed within the sphere. For a sphere of radius 10, the same principle applies, emphasizing the importance of considering all enclosed charges when applying Gauss's law.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Gauss's Law
  • Familiarity with electric flux concepts
  • Knowledge of point and line charges
  • Basic vector calculus for electric field calculations
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the application of Gauss's Law in different geometries
  • Learn about calculating electric fields from line charges
  • Explore the concept of electric flux in non-uniform charge distributions
  • Investigate the implications of charge enclosure on electric flux
USEFUL FOR

Students studying electromagnetism, physics educators, and anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of electric fields and flux calculations in electrostatics.

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Homework Statement


A point charge of 20 nC is located at (4,-1,-3), and a uniform line charge of -25nC/m lies along the intersection of the planes x=-4 and z=6. (a) Calculate D at (3,1,0). (b) How much electric flux leaves the surface of a sphere of radius 5, centered at the origin? (C) Repeat part b if the radius of the sphere is 10.

Homework Equations


Q=total flux enclosed


The Attempt at a Solution


I've already solved part a without a problem but its b and c that are giving me trouble. I seem to be having problems with Gauss's law. A sphere of radius 5 seems like it would enclose the 20nC point charge so wouldn't electric flux simply equal 20 nC. The answer seems to be 0 though.
 
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You didnt calculate the line charge enclosed by the sphere...
 

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