Undergrad What is Electric Flux and How is it Calculated?

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Electric flux is a measure of how much electric field penetrates a given surface, defined mathematically as the integral of the electric field over that surface. Gauss's law relates the electric field at points on a Gaussian surface to the net charge enclosed, allowing for calculations of either the electric field or the enclosed charge. The concept of electric flux helps to quantify the electric field, which is continuous and does not have actual gaps, despite visual representations suggesting otherwise. In cases of non-uniform fields or complex surfaces, surface integrals are necessary for accurate calculations, emphasizing the importance of vector calculus in understanding these concepts. Overall, electric flux serves as a crucial link between electric fields and charge distributions in electromagnetism.
  • #31
Delta2 said:
No there aren't really any gaps there, in the magnetic field, we just see gaps because we don't have enough iron fillings.
So if we have enough fillings then we will see more and less dense fillings everywhere with more and less strength of field.
 

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