Sunday, June 4, 2017

electrostatics - Why doesn't a gaussian surface pass through discrete charges?


I have read that Gaussian surface cannot pass through discrete charges. Why is it so? I have even seen in application of Gauss' Law when we imagine a Gaussian Surface passing through a charge distribution, e.g. in case of infinite plane charge carrying sheet .


If it cannot pass through discrete charges how do we use it in continuous charge distributions as same 'objection' must be there for it also.


Please explain the reason.


Here $E \rightarrow \infty$ as, $r\rightarrow 0$


If this is ambiguity then this must be same in continuous charge distribution , otherwise please state it more clearly because we can define charge to be a spherical ball and half charge can be considered inside surface (as in pic and even agreed by @JoshuaBarr).




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