How electric field lines going out from surface is zero?

In summary, the instructor explains that electric field lines going out from a surface that does not enclose charge are zero, but electric field lines going out from a surface that encloses charge are zero.
  • #1
gracy
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in the video above the instructor explains from time 8:22 to 8:55 that how and why electric field lines going out from the surface which do not enclose charge is zero but I don't understand then why not electric field lines going out from the spherical surface ( enclosing charge) is zero.Because by applying what the instructor said in this case also ,electric field lines going out comes out to be zero.

el.png
 
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  • #2
Here is the correct way to determine whether an electric field line at a particular point ##\mathbf{r}## is considered to be "going out" or "going in":
- if ##\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) \cdot d\mathbf{a} > 0##, the electric field line at this point is leaving the closed surface
- if ##\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) \cdot d\mathbf{a} < 0##, the electric field line at this point is going inside the closed surface
- if ##\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) \cdot d\mathbf{a} = 0##, the electric field line at this point grazes the surface, it doesn't count in the flux traversing the surface
The surface element ##d\mathbf{a}## is by convention taken to be directed outward from the closed surface.
In your picture, it's obvious that the quantity ##\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) \cdot d\mathbf{a}## is positive at all points in the spherical surface.
 
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  • #3
But applying what you said
area vector.png

blue_leaf77 said:
if E(r)⋅da=0\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) \cdot d\mathbf{a} = 0, the electric field line at this point grazes the surface, it doesn't count in the flux traversing the surface
but it should be leaving the closed surface
blue_leaf77 said:
if E(r)⋅da>0\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) \cdot d\mathbf{a} > 0, the electric field line at this point is leaving the closed surface
so
blue_leaf77 said:
if E(r)⋅da>0
but in my case it is
blue_leaf77 said:
E(r)⋅da=0
 
  • #4
gracy said:
but it should be leaving the closed surface
At that exact point where ##\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) \cdot d\mathbf{a} = 0##, the line does not leave nor enter the surface. If you keep tracing this line you may find it enter or leave the surface at another point.
gracy said:
but in my case it is
Are you referring to your last picture, with ##d\mathbf{a}## denoted by that area vector to the right? That vector looks almost parallel with the electric field line at the same point, doesn't it? E(r)⋅da=0 cannot be zero then.
 
Last edited:
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  • #5
I Understand now.Thanks a lot.Really really helpful.
 

Related to How electric field lines going out from surface is zero?

1. How does the electric field affect the surface of an object?

The electric field lines going out from a surface are zero because the electric field at the surface is perpendicular to the surface. This means that the electric field does not pass through the surface, but rather acts on it as a force.

2. Why is the electric field zero at the surface of an object?

The electric field is zero at the surface of an object because the surface acts as a boundary between two regions with different electric potential. The electric field lines are always perpendicular to the surface, resulting in a net electric field of zero at the surface.

3. What is the significance of zero electric field lines at the surface of an object?

The zero electric field lines at the surface of an object indicate that the electric field is uniform and has the same magnitude and direction at every point on the surface. This is important in understanding how electric fields interact with objects and how they are affected by the surface geometry.

4. Can the electric field lines going out from a surface ever be non-zero?

In special cases, such as when there is a charge on the surface of the object, the electric field lines going out from a surface may not be zero. This is because the presence of the charge creates an electric field that interacts with the surface, causing the electric field lines to bend and creating a non-zero electric field at the surface.

5. How is the concept of zero electric field lines at the surface of an object related to the concept of equipotential surfaces?

The concept of zero electric field lines at the surface of an object is closely related to the concept of equipotential surfaces. An equipotential surface is a surface where all points have the same electric potential. Since the electric field is always perpendicular to the equipotential surface, this means that the electric field lines must be zero at the surface in order for all points on the surface to have the same electric potential.

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