Gauss's Law states that the total electric flux passing through a closed surface is directly proportional to the charge enclosed within that surface. In simpler terms, it tells us that if we imagine a surface around a charge (like an invisible bubble), the electric field lines that pass through this surface depend only on the amount of charge inside the bubble, not on the shape or size of the bubble itself.
Mathematically, Gauss's Law can be written as:
\[
\Phi_E = \frac{Q_{\text{enc}}}{\epsilon_0}
\]
Where:
- \(\Phi_E\) is the electric flux through the surface.
- \(Q_{\text{enc}}\) is the charge enclosed inside the surface.
- \(\epsilon_0\) is the permittivity of free space, a constant.
In essence, Gauss's Law helps us understand the relationship between electric fields and the charges that create them.