What is the flux through one face of the cube? Is my answer correct

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SUMMARY

The flux through one face of a cube with a point charge Q at its center is correctly calculated as Q/6ε₀, according to Gauss' law. The units for electric flux can be expressed as Nm²/C or equivalently as Vm. The discussion confirms that the dependence on the cube's side length L does not appear in the flux formula, as the electric field strength and surface area changes balance each other out. The charge unit is defined as coulombs (C).

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Homework Statement



A point charge Q is placed at the center of a cube of side L .
What is the flux through one face of the cube?
Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables Q ,L and appropriate constants.



The Attempt at a Solution



I'm getting Q/6e0 , is this correct. Are the units Nm^2/C
 
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Don't you think there should be an "L" somewhere in the formula? And what is "C"?
 
pokie_panda said:

Homework Statement



A point charge Q is placed at the center of a cube of side L .
What is the flux through one face of the cube?
Express your answer in terms of some or all of the variables Q ,L and appropriate constants.



The Attempt at a Solution



I'm getting Q/6e0 , is this correct. Are the units Nm^2/C

Yes, this is correct. A simple application of Gauss' law. Your units are also correct, although it may be simpler to express it as Vm (volt*metre).
 
Since the units of electric field are N/C, your units of Nm^2/C for flux seem fine to me.

C = coulombs

Gauss' law says the net flux through the surface is Q/e0, and since this should be divided equally among the six faces, your answer seems plausible.

I imagine that any L-dependence should cancel out, since surface area increases as the square of L, but electric field strength decreases as the square of L

Edit: beaten by one minute!
 
HallsofIvy said:
Don't you think there should be an "L" somewhere in the formula? And what is "C"?

No, because they're asking for the electrical flux. The electric field calculation would involve L (and would not be trivial because the cube lacks spherical symmetry). C is coulomb.
 
cepheid said:
Edit: beaten by one minute!

Haha. :biggrin:
 

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