Gauss' Law
Definition
Gauss' Law relates the electric flux through a closed surface to the total charge enclosed by that surface. It provides a convenient way to calculate electric fields for symmetric charge distributions.
Analogy
Think of Gauss' Law as using a net to catch fish in a pond. The net represents the closed surface, and the fish represent the electric field lines passing through it. By counting how many fish you caught (electric flux), you can determine how many fish are swimming in the pond (total charge).
Related terms
Electric Flux: The measure of how much electric field passes through a given area.
Closed Surface: A hypothetical boundary enclosing an object or region of interest.
Charge Density: The amount of charge per unit volume or unit area.
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