MCQMediumJEE 2025Gauss's Law Applications

JEE Physics 2025 Question with Solution

An infinitely long wire has uniform linear charge density λ=2nC/m\lambda = 2 \, nC/m. The net flux through a Gaussian cube of side length 3cm\sqrt{3} \, cm, if the wire passes through any two corners of the cube, that are maximally displaced from each other, would be xNm2C1x \, Nm^2 C^{-1}, where xx is:

  • A

    2.16π2.16\pi

  • B

    0.72π0.72\pi

  • C

    6.48π6.48\pi

  • D

    1.44π1.44\pi

Answer

Correct answer:A

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: An infinitely long wire has linear charge density λ=2×109C/m\lambda = 2 \times 10^{-9} \, \text{C/m}. The cube has side length 3cm\sqrt{3} \, \text{cm} and the wire passes through two maximally displaced corners, so it lies along the body diagonal of the cube.

Find: The net electric flux through the cube.

Using Gauss's law,

Φ=Qencε0\Phi = \frac{Q_{\text{enc}}}{\varepsilon_0}

The length of wire inside the cube is the body diagonal. For a cube of side aa, body diagonal is a3a\sqrt{3}. Here a=3cma = \sqrt{3} \, \text{cm}, so

l=a3=3×3cm=3cm=0.03ml = a\sqrt{3} = \sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3} \, \text{cm} = 3 \, \text{cm} = 0.03 \, \text{m}

Therefore, enclosed charge is

Qenc=λl=2×109×0.03=6×1011CQ_{\text{enc}} = \lambda l = 2 \times 10^{-9} \times 0.03 = 6 \times 10^{-11} \, \text{C}

Now,

Φ=6×10118.85×10126.78N m2/C\Phi = \frac{6 \times 10^{-11}}{8.85 \times 10^{-12}} \approx 6.78 \, \text{N m}^2\text{/C}

Since 2.16π6.792.16\pi \approx 6.79, the flux matches 2.16πN m2/C2.16\pi \, \text{N m}^2\text{/C}.

Therefore, the correct option is A.

Why the wire length inside the cube is the body diagonal

Given: The wire passes through two corners of the cube that are maximally displaced from each other.

Find: The segment length of the wire enclosed by the cube.

The two maximally displaced corners of a cube are opposite vertices. The straight line joining them is the body diagonal.

If the side of the cube is a=3cma = \sqrt{3} \, \text{cm}, then the body diagonal is

a2+a2+a2=a3\sqrt{a^2 + a^2 + a^2} = a\sqrt{3}

Substituting a=3cma = \sqrt{3} \, \text{cm},

l=33cm=3cml = \sqrt{3} \cdot \sqrt{3} \, \text{cm} = 3 \, \text{cm}

This is the wire length enclosed inside the cube. Then Gauss's law gives the same result:

Φ=λlε0=2×109×0.038.85×10122.16π\Phi = \frac{\lambda l}{\varepsilon_0} = \frac{2 \times 10^{-9} \times 0.03}{8.85 \times 10^{-12}} \approx 2.16\pi

Hence, the correct option is A.

Common mistakes

  • Taking the wire length inside the cube as the side length 3cm\sqrt{3} \, \text{cm} is wrong because the wire passes through opposite corners, so the enclosed segment is the body diagonal, not an edge. Use l=a3l = a\sqrt{3}.

  • Using Φ=EA\Phi = E A directly is inappropriate here because the electric field is not uniform over the cube faces in a simple way. Use Gauss's law in the form Φ=Qenc/ε0\Phi = Q_{\text{enc}}/\varepsilon_0.

  • Forgetting unit conversion leads to an incorrect enclosed charge. Convert 3cm3 \, \text{cm} to 0.03m0.03 \, \text{m} before multiplying by λ\lambda in C/m\text{C/m}.

Practice more Gauss's Law Applications questions

Get unlimited AI-adaptive practice, mastery tracking, and an AI tutor that explains every step — free to start.

Related questions