Use of Gauss's Law(Electrostatic)

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In summary, the conversation discusses the distribution of a charge +q throughout a sphere of radius a and how this affects the electric field at a distance r from the center of the sphere. It is shown that for distances less than a, the electric field is given by qr/(4*pi*epsilon0*a^3), while for distances greater than a, the standard equation for an electric field around a point charge applies. The conversation also explores the use of Gauss's law and the distribution of charge on the surface of the sphere.
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Cheetox
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Homework Statement



Charge +q is distributed uniformley throughout a sphere of radius a. Show that the electric field a distance r from the centre of the sphere is as follows

for r less than a E = qr/(4*pi*epsilon0*a^3)
for r greater than E it is the standard equation of and E field around a point charge.



Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



Drawing a gaussian surface inside the sphere I have proved the first part of the question, for the second part my reasoning is as such,
as the charge is distributed uniformley througout the sphere, this results in a constant E field through the sphere, but by gauss's law this means that the charge must form on the surface, thus the sphere can be treated as a point charge which results in the same equation for a point charge as required...is this correct? If not how would I go about the problem?
 
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  • #2
Electric field is not constant through the sphere, you found that in part a) .
All charge is not on the surface, "distributed uniformley throughout a sphere of radius a" said text.
But you can apply gauss law for outside of the sphere, just use gaussian surface of radius r>a.
 
  • #3


I can confirm that your reasoning is correct. By using Gauss's Law, you have shown that the electric field inside the sphere is proportional to the distance from the center, which is consistent with the first part of the given equation. And since the charge is uniformly distributed throughout the sphere, it can be treated as a point charge at the center, resulting in the same equation for the electric field outside the sphere. This is a valid approach to solving the problem.
 

What is Gauss's Law and how is it used in electrostatics?

Gauss's Law is a fundamental law in electrostatics that relates the electric flux through a closed surface to the total charge enclosed by that surface. It is used to calculate the electric field at a point due to a charge distribution by integrating over a closed surface surrounding the charge.

What are the main assumptions made in Gauss's Law?

The main assumptions made in Gauss's Law are that the electric field is continuous and differentiable everywhere, and that the charge distribution is static and does not change with time.

How does Gauss's Law relate to Coulomb's Law?

Gauss's Law is a mathematical formulation of Coulomb's Law. It provides a more general and convenient way to calculate the electric field due to a charge distribution, as it allows for the integration over a closed surface instead of individual point charges.

Can Gauss's Law be used for any charge distribution?

Yes, Gauss's Law can be used for any charge distribution as long as the main assumptions are met. However, for complex charge distributions, it may be more difficult to choose a suitable closed surface for integration and a different method may be more appropriate.

What are some real-world applications of Gauss's Law?

Gauss's Law has many real-world applications, including calculating the electric field inside a capacitor, analyzing the electric flux through a closed surface due to a point charge, and determining the electric field inside a conductor. It is also used in the design and analysis of electronic devices, such as semiconductors and integrated circuits.

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