Gauss's Law relates electric flux to what?

• A. Relates electric flux to enclosed charge.
• B. Relates electric flux to magnetic flux.
• C. Relates electric potential to enclosed charge.
• D. Relates current to enclosed charge.

Answer: (A)

Electric flux through a closed surface is the net outward flow of the electric field through that surface. Gauss's Law says this net flux equals the total charge enclosed by the surface divided by the vacuum permittivity: flux = Q_enclosed / ε0. So what Gauss's Law links is the amount of electric flux to the enclosed charge, not to magnetic flux, electric potential, or current. The sign of the flux reflects the sign of the enclosed charge (outward for positive, inward for negative), and if no charge is inside, the net flux is zero. This is why the enclosed charge is the essential quantity in Gauss's Law.