Gauss's law: Consider a spherical Gaussian surface of radius R centered at the origin. A charge Q is placed inside the sphere. To maximize the magnitude of the flux of the electric field through the Gaussian surface, the charge should be located
A) at x = 0, y = 0, z = R/2.
B) at the origin.
C) at x = R/2, y = 0, z = 0.
D) at x = 0, y = R/2, z = 0.
E) The charge can be located anywhere, since flux does not depend on the position of the charge as long as it is inside the sphere.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Gauss's law, the electric flux through a closed surface depends only on the charge enclosed by the surface, not on the position of the charge within the surface. Therefore, as long as the charge is inside the sphere, the flux through the spherical Gaussian surface remains the same, regardless of the charge's exact location.

Gauss's Law: Consider a Spherical Gaussian Surface of Radius R