Question

Briefly define flux?

Answer 1

Definition:

1. Electric flux is defined as the number of electric field lines that pass through a given area.
2. It is yet another physical quantity used to quantify the strength of an electric field and to frame the fundamentals of electrostatics.
3. It can also be defined as the product of the electric field and the surface area projected perpendicular to the electric field.
4. It is denoted by $\varphi$, its unit is Newton meters squared per coulomb ($N{m}^2{C}^{-1}$)

The flux is expresses as,

$\varphi =B.A$

When the same plane is tilted at an angle$\theta$, the projected area $A\cos \theta$ and total flux through this surface are given as:

$\varphi =BA\cos \theta$

Where,

• $E$ is the magnitude of the electric field
• $A$ is the area of the surface through which the electric flux is to be calculated
• $\theta$is the angle made by the plane and the axis parallel to the direction of flow of the electric field.

Applications of Electric Flux

1. Electric Flux forms the basic foundation of electrostatics and has many applications like:
2. Electric Flux aids in the calculation of the electric field.
3. Electric Flux makes it easier to evaluate the electric field in complex figures.
4. The Gauss Theorem, one of the most useful electrostatic theorems, is primarily based on electrostatics.