Electric flux density, often denoted by **D**, is a measure of the electric flux per unit area in a material. It describes how much electric flux is passing through a given area and is used to characterize the behavior of electric fields in materials. Mathematically, it is defined as:
\[ \mathbf{D} = \varepsilon \mathbf{E} \]
where:
- \(\mathbf{D}\) is the electric flux density (also called the electric displacement field).
- \(\varepsilon\) is the permittivity of the material.
- \(\mathbf{E}\) is the electric field vector.
In free space or a vacuum, the permittivity \(\varepsilon\) is the permittivity of free space, \(\varepsilon_0\). In materials, \(\varepsilon\) is the product of the permittivity of free space and the relative permittivity of the material.
Electric flux density is useful in various contexts, including Gauss's law in materials and understanding polarization in dielectric materials. It helps describe how the electric field interacts with different media and is fundamental in electromagnetic theory.