Q3_Lesson 5 - Electric Flux

Michael Faraday

English scientist who introduced the concepts of fields and lines of force which paved the way to several important discoveries in physics

Michael Faraday

Results of his experiments revealed that the direction of the force in a given electric field may be represented as field lines going in and coming out of negative and positive charges

Michael Faraday

Summation of these field lines is what is termed as electric flux  

Electric Flux

Refers to the total amount of electric field passing through a given surface, as determined by the number of electric field lines or flux lines crossing the surface

Electric Flux

Property of an electric field relating to the measure of its strength  

Electric field lines

always emerge from a positive charge and end at a negative charge 

electric flux

Also represent the distribution of ____ surrounding a particular charge 

Electric Flux

May be inward or outward, depending on the direction of the electric field vectors

Positive charge

within a region will have an outward electric flux passing through its surface

Negative charge

will have an inward electric flux through its surface  

zero charge

A region containing a ______ has “no net electric force flux” passing outward or inward

electric flux

Easily recognize the direction of the ____ (inward or outward) by identifying the sign (positive or negative) of the enclosed charge  

directly proportional

The net electric flux going outward the surface of the region is _____ to the magnitude of the net charge enclosed by that region  

(phi)E= E(A) = E(A)cos(theta)

Formula of Electric Flux

orientation of the surface relative to the lines of force

greatly affects electric flux

Zero charge

means no electric flux (same number of proton and electron)

Net electric flux outward

is equal to the net charge magnitude enclosed in the surface

Perpendicular position

maximum electric flux

Parallel position

no electric flux

Angle

obtained between the normal axis of the surface and the electric field itself

Tilted position (with angle)

reduced electric flux (as it has a fewer field lines passing through it)

has a value

A perpendicular without normal axis

is equal to zero

A perpendicular axis with normal axis

(phi) E = E(A)

Use this formula to solve the electric flux when the surface and the electric angle are at 0 degree angle or are perpendicular with each other

(phi) = E(A)cos(theta)

use this formula to solve for the electric flu when the surface and the electric field are either perpendicular, or at the tilted angle