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Chapter 2: Surface Integrals and the Divergence

145 words

Gauss’s Law states that:

∫∫SE⋅n^dS=qϵ0\int \int _S \mathbf{E} \cdot \hat{n} dS = \frac{q}{\epsilon_0}

where qq is the charge enclosed by the surface.

What is the n^\hat{n} we used in our definition of Gauss’s law? It’s a unit vector that is normal to a certain surface. We can find n^\hat{n} by finding two coplanar vectors along the plane of the area, uandv\mathbf{u} and \mathbf{v}:

n^=u×v∣u×v∣.\hat{n} = \frac{\mathbf{u} \times \mathbf{v}}{|\mathbf{u} \times \mathbf{v}|}.

(Check the book for more detailed derivation)

First:

u=[i^+∂f∂xk^]ux\mathbf{u} = \left[\hat{i} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} \hat{k} \right] u_x

Second:

v=[j^+∂f∂yk^]vy\mathbf{v} = \left[\hat{j} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} \hat{k} \right] v_y

Then:

u×v=(ux0ux∂f∂x)×(0vyvy∂f∂y)\mathbf{u} \times \mathbf{v} = \begin{pmatrix} u_x \\ 0 \\ u_x \frac{\partial f}{\partial x} \end{pmatrix} \times \begin{pmatrix} 0 \\ v_y \\ v_y \frac{\partial f}{\partial y} \end{pmatrix}