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QPage 139: Q6: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 Gauss's Law Page 139: Q6 Solution: A rubber balloon is given a charge Q distributed uniformly over …

⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls

Students often equate Gauss's law’s zero net flux through a closed surface with a zero electric field at every interior point; this is only true for highly symmetric (e.g., spherical) charge distributions or for conductors in electrostatic equilibrium. For a non‑spherical insulating shell with uniform surface charge, the interior field generally is not zero despite the total enclosed charge being zero.

A rubber balloon is given a charge Q distributed uniformly over its surface. Is the field inside the balloon zero everywhere if the balloon does not have a spherical surface?

Step-by-Step Verified Solution

**Answer:** Yes, the field inside the balloon is zero everywhere, even if the balloon is not spherical. **Step-by-Step Explanation:** Gauss's law states that for any closed surface with no charge inside, the net flux is zero. For a uniformly charged closed surface (any shape), the field inside is zero at every point. This is a consequence of the inverse-square law and the geometry of the surface .

All Questions in this Chapter

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