Two charges of magnitudes +4Q and −Q are located at points (a,0) and (−3a,0) respectively. What is the electric flux due to these charges through a sphere of radius 2a with its centre at the origin?
Answer:ϕ=ε04Q.
Solution
A sphere of radius 2a centred at the origin contains the point (a,0) (since a<2a) but not (−3a,0) (since 3a>2a). Hence only +4Q is enclosed, and by Gauss's law ϕ=ε04Q.