Gauss's Law and Electric Field

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What is the direction of the electric field on a spherical Gaussian surface?

Parallel to the normal to the surface

Radial, pointing outward (correct)

Opposite to the normal to the surface

Tangential to the surface

In Gauss's law, what does 'q' represent when calculating the electric field?

Charge on the Gaussian surface

Total charge in the universe

Charge at infinity

Charge enclosed by the Gaussian surface (correct)

For a neutral atom, what is the total electric field inside a Gaussian spherical surface with radius 'r'?

Non-zero

Decreasing with radius 'r'

Increasing with radius 'r'

Zero (correct)

What determines the properties of atoms, molecules, and bulk matter according to the text?

Electric and magnetic forces Signup and view all the answers

What do conductors allow according to the text?

Movement of electric charge through them Signup and view all the answers

What are the mobile charges in metals according to the text?

-Charges only Signup and view all the answers

What does the term q on the right side of Gauss’s law stand for?

The sum of all charges enclosed by the surface Signup and view all the answers

In what situation does the electric field on the left side of Gauss’s law account for both inside and outside charges?

When both inside and outside charges are present Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of choosing a Gaussian surface in applying Gauss’s law?

To simplify calculations of electrostatic fields with symmetry Signup and view all the answers

Why should a Gaussian surface never pass through a discrete charge?

Because the electric field due to discrete charges is not well defined at their location Signup and view all the answers

Which type of charge distribution allows a Gaussian surface to pass through it as per Gauss’s law?

Uniformly distributed charges Signup and view all the answers

What does a violation of Gauss’s law indicate in terms of Coulomb’s law?

A departure from the inverse square dependence on distance Signup and view all the answers

What can be said about the symmetry of the electric field around an infinitely long straight uniformly charged wire?

The electric field has the same magnitude at all points around the wire. Signup and view all the answers

What is the direction of the electric field around an infinitely long straight uniformly charged wire?

Radial outward if the charge density is positive and radial inward if it is negative. Signup and view all the answers

Why does the electric field around the wire not depend on the position along its length?

Due to the infinite length of the wire. Signup and view all the answers

What is the shape of the Gaussian surface used to calculate the electric field around the wire?

Cylindrical Signup and view all the answers

How does considering a pair of line elements contribute to understanding the electric field around the wire?

It shows that the total field at any point must be radial. Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred about the net electric field within a plane cutting an infinitely long straight uniformly charged wire normally?

It is radial and depends only on the radial distance from the wire. Signup and view all the answers