Five charges , , , , are situated as shown in the figure. The electric flux due to this configuration through the surface is:
- A
- B
- C
- D
Five charges , , , , are situated as shown in the figure. The electric flux due to this configuration through the surface is:
Correct answer:B
Standard Method
Given: Five charges , , , , and are present. The closed surface encloses the charges , , and .
Find: The electric flux through the surface .
Use Gauss's law:
The net enclosed charge is:
Substituting into Gauss's law:
Therefore, the electric flux through the surface is . The correct option is B.
Charge Enclosure Shortcut
Given: Flux through a closed surface depends only on the charge enclosed by that surface.
Find: The electric flux through .
Charges outside the surface do not contribute to net flux through the closed surface in Gauss's law. So only add the enclosed charges:
Hence,
Therefore, the correct option is B.
Including all five charges while applying Gauss's law. This is wrong because electric flux through a closed surface depends only on the enclosed charge. Add only the charges inside .
Ignoring the sign of negative charges. This is wrong because enclosed charge is an algebraic sum. Use , not the sum of magnitudes.
Thinking that charges outside the surface make the net flux nonzero through the closed surface. They may affect the field locally, but the net flux through the closed surface is determined only by .
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