Gauss's law and electric flux

In summary, when calculating the net electric flux through a torus with charges of -6nC and 60nC, it is important to use the correct value for the permittivity of free space, which is 8.85*10^-12 and not 8.85*10^-9. It is also necessary to determine if the +60nC charge is contained inside the surface of the torus.
  • #1
jincy34
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0

Homework Statement



What is the net electric flux through the the torus if a=-6 nC and b=60 nC ?


Homework Equations



Electric flux=Qin/E

The Attempt at a Solution



I solved with Qin being 6*10^-9 C as it is the charge inside and E0=8.85*10^-12. I got 678 for electric flux. But it is wrong.
 

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  • #2
[tex]\epsilon_0 = 8.85*10^{-12}[/tex] not [tex]8.85*10^{-9}[/tex].

This may be your problem. If it is not, show your work and we may be able to give you more in depth help.
 
  • #3
I put the right value for E0. But, I am not sure if the charge I am using is right or not. Is the charge inside 60nC, 6nC or net charge?
 
Last edited:
  • #4
jincy34 said:
I put the right value for E0. But, I am not sure if the charge I am using is right or not. Is the charge inside 60nC, 6nC or net charge?

Is the +60nC charge contained inside the surface of the solenoid?
 

1. What is Gauss's law?

Gauss's law is a fundamental law in electromagnetism that relates the electric flux through a closed surface to the charge enclosed within the surface. It states that the electric flux through any closed surface is equal to the net charge enclosed by the surface divided by the permittivity of free space.

2. How is Gauss's law used to calculate electric fields?

Gauss's law can be used to calculate the electric field in situations with high symmetry, such as spherical or cylindrical charge distributions. By choosing a closed surface that follows the symmetry of the charge distribution, the electric field can be calculated using the value of the enclosed charge and the permittivity of free space.

3. What is electric flux?

Electric flux is a measure of the flow of electric field through a given area. It is defined as the dot product of the electric field and the area vector, and is represented by the symbol ΦE. Electric flux is a useful concept in understanding the behavior of electric fields in different situations.

4. How is electric flux related to electric field lines?

Electric field lines are a visual representation of the direction and strength of an electric field. The number of electric field lines passing through a given area is proportional to the electric flux through that area. This means that a higher electric flux corresponds to a stronger electric field and vice versa.

5. Can Gauss's law be applied to all situations involving electric fields?

Gauss's law can only be applied to situations with high symmetry, where the electric field and charge distribution exhibit a certain pattern. In more complicated situations, other methods such as integration must be used to calculate the electric field. However, Gauss's law is still a fundamental concept in understanding electric fields and is widely used in many applications.

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