Gauss's Law Application: Electric Field Intensity on Non-Conducting Sheets

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the application of Gauss's Law to determine the electric field intensity at a point near a non-conducting sheet. Participants explore the independence of the electric field from the distance (r) from the sheet, examining both theoretical derivations and conceptual understandings.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question why the electric field intensity at a point near a non-conducting sheet is independent of the distance (r) from the sheet.
  • Others suggest that the derivation from Gauss's Law can be understood by considering the contributions to the electric field from all points on the sheet.
  • One participant expresses confusion and requests a clearer explanation of the concepts involved.
  • Another participant emphasizes that the model assumes the sheet is effectively infinite, allowing for simplifications in the calculations.
  • It is noted that the electric field is perpendicular to the sheet, and only the end pieces of the Gaussian surface contribute to the flux.
  • Some participants assert that the amount of charge enclosed remains constant regardless of the distance from the plate, leading to the conclusion that the electric field does not depend on that distance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of understanding regarding the derivation and implications of Gauss's Law in this context. While some points are clarified, there remains uncertainty and differing interpretations of the concepts involved.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about the infinite nature of the sheet and the implications of distance on electric field calculations. Some mathematical steps and definitions are not fully resolved within the discussion.

nivamani Rajbongshi
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why electric field intensity at a point of a non conducting sheet is independent of r?
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nivamani Rajbongshi said:
why electric field intensity at a point of a non conducting sheet is independent of r?
Do you understand the derivation from Gauss' law? (You can also just add up all the contributions to the electric field at a point. Same result.)
 
i m confused. can you please explain it?
 
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Doc Al said:
Do you understand the derivation from Gauss' law? (You can also just add up all the contributions to the electric field at a point. Same result.)
Gauss's law is all about the electric flux, isn't it. So the line of force of a charge travel to infinity, so at a point on which we will calculate e.field intensity may lie at infinite distance, also in this derivation we do calculate the derivation by taking 0 rad angle between E and ds, i.e. all the lines of force that we take for calculation are may be perpendicular to that sheet so for those lines of forces the point on which we r going to calculate E doesn't depend on the distance of the point from the surface of the sheet. Am i right?? I don't think...so, Please explain me clearly.
 
nivamani Rajbongshi said:
So the line of force of a charge travel to infinity, so at a point on which we will calculate e.field intensity may lie at infinite distance,
Forget about finding the field "at infinity". The point of this model is that the dimensions of the plate are huge compared to the distance from the plate, so that we can treat the plate as effectively infinite (and thus ignore any effects from being near an edge).

nivamani Rajbongshi said:
also in this derivation we do calculate the derivation by taking 0 rad angle between E and ds, i.e. all the lines of force that we take for calculation are may be perpendicular to that sheet
The field at any point is perpendicular to the sheet. Thus the only parts of the Gaussian surface that will have a flux is the end pieces.

nivamani Rajbongshi said:
so for those lines of forces the point on which we r going to calculate E doesn't depend on the distance of the point from the surface of the sheet.
Since the amount of charge enclosed -- and thus the flux -- doesn't change with distance from the plate, we can conclude that the field does not depend on that distance.
 
Thanks i got it...[emoji106][emoji106]
 
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