Question:medium

If $ \epsilon_0 $ denotes the permittivity of free space and $ \Phi_E $ is the flux of the electric field through the area bounded by the closed surface, then the dimension of $ \epsilon_0 \frac{d\Phi_E}{dt} $ are that of:

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When solving problems involving physical quantities, ensure that you use the correct dimensional analysis to find the desired dimension. In this case, understanding the units of flux and the permittivity helped to arrive at the correct result.
Updated On: Feb 2, 2026
  • Electric field
  • Electric potential
  • Electric charge
  • Electric current
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Given that \( \epsilon_0 \) represents the permittivity of free space and \( \Phi_E \) represents the electric flux. The electric flux \( \Phi_E \) is defined as: \[ \Phi_E = \int_S \mathbf{E} \cdot d\mathbf{A} \] where \( \mathbf{E} \) is the electric field and \( d\mathbf{A} \) is the area element. The dimension of \( \epsilon_0 \) (permittivity of free space) is: \[ [\epsilon_0] = \frac{\text{C}^2}{\text{N m}^2} = \frac{\text{C}^2}{\text{kg} \cdot \text{m}^3 \cdot \text{s}^2} \] The dimension of electric flux \( \Phi_E \) is: \[ [\Phi_E] = \text{C} \cdot \text{m}^2 \] We aim to determine the dimension of \( \epsilon_0 \frac{d\Phi_E}{dt} \). The dimension of \( \frac{d\Phi_E}{dt} \), which is the rate of change of electric flux, is: \[ \left[\frac{d\Phi_E}{dt}\right] = \frac{\text{C} \cdot \text{m}^2}{\text{s}} \] Multiplying this by \( \epsilon_0 \), we obtain: \[ \left[\epsilon_0 \frac{d\Phi_E}{dt}\right] = \left[\epsilon_0\right] \times \left[\frac{d\Phi_E}{dt}\right] = \frac{\text{C}^2}{\text{kg} \cdot \text{m}^3 \cdot \text{s}^2} \times \frac{\text{C} \cdot \text{m}^2}{\text{s}} \] Simplifying this expression yields: \[ \left[\epsilon_0 \frac{d\Phi_E}{dt}\right] = \frac{\text{C}^3 \cdot \text{m}^2}{\text{kg} \cdot \text{m}^3 \cdot \text{s}^3} = \frac{\text{C}}{\text{s}} \] This dimension corresponds to that of electric current, as electric current has a dimension of \( \frac{\text{C}}{\text{s}} \).
Consequently, the dimension of \( \epsilon_0 \frac{d\Phi_E}{dt} \) is electric current.
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