Calculating Electric Flux Through a Square Surface

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating electric flux through a square surface with a side length of 34 mm immersed in an electric field of 1700 N/C at a 35-degree angle to the normal. The correct formula for electric flux, Φ, is Φ = E * A * cos(Θ), where E is the electric field strength, A is the area, and Θ is the angle. The area must be converted accurately from mm² to m², resulting in an area of 0.0034 m². The final calculation should yield the correct electric flux value when using the proper area and angle measurements.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electric fields and their properties
  • Familiarity with the concept of electric flux
  • Knowledge of trigonometric functions, specifically cosine
  • Ability to convert units from millimeters to meters
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of the electric flux formula, Φ = E * A * cos(Θ)
  • Learn about the implications of angle measurement in electric field calculations
  • Explore common pitfalls in unit conversions, particularly in physics problems
  • Investigate the use of calculators for trigonometric functions in physics
USEFUL FOR

Students studying electromagnetism, physics educators, and anyone involved in solving problems related to electric fields and flux calculations.

TheWarHawk
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Homework Statement



A square surface, 34 mm each side, is immersed with an electric field of magnitude 1700 N/C. The field lines make a 35 degree angle with the normal line. Find the electric flux through the surface.

Homework Equations



\ointE\cdotdA

The Attempt at a Solution



Well, since E\cdotdA can be rewritten as EA*cos(\Theta), I did that, and since E and Cos(\Theta) are constants, I pulled them out of the integral giving me

E*Cos(\Theta)\ointdA

which comes out to be E*Cos(\Theta)*A, but when I plug in 1700*Cos(35)*.0034^{2} it's wrong.

Any suggestions?
 
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You've converted mm to m incorrectly.
 
Sorry, that's a typo on my part, it's supposed to be 3.4 mm
 
Is your calculator in degree mode? Your method is correct.
 
Yeah, it is. Must be webassign, I hate it. Thanks very much for your help.
 

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