Charge on a grounded conductor w/ method of images

[ralqs]

Why is it that whenever the method of images is used to solve for the induced charge on a grounded conductor in the presence of a point charge, the total charge is just the same as the image charge?

 

[Naty1]

I'm not sure I agree with your premise about "total charge" , but

does this explanation answer your question:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_of_image_charges

see the first section...

 

[Meir Achuz]

Gauss's law says that $$\oint{\bf E\cdot dA}$$ is given by the total charge inside.
This is either the actual surface charge or the image charge, since they give the same E.