Gauss's Law For Magnetism
The net magnetic flux through any arbitrary closed surface is always exactly zero; this fundamental result is a direct consequence of the fact that
Select the correct option:
Solution
isolated magnetic monopoles do not exist
NCERT Class 12, Chapter 5 (Magnetism and Matter) states Gauss's law for magnetism: the net magnetic flux through any closed surface is zero, written ∮B⋅dA=0. Physically this means magnetic field lines always form closed loops, with no starting or ending points, because there are no isolated magnetic charges (monopoles). Every field line that enters a closed surface must also leave it, so the inward and outward contributions cancel exactly. The option 'field lines can begin on charges' describes electric fields and Gauss's law for electricity, not magnetism. The option 'the field is always non-uniform' is unrelated to flux and is untrue in general. The option 'magnetic forces do no work' is a true but separate fact about the Lorentz force, not the cause of zero flux. Plausibility check: for electric fields the flux equals enclosed charge over ε0; the magnetic analogue is zero precisely because the magnetic 'charge' (monopole) has never been observed, confirming the first option.
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About This Question
- Subject
- physics
- Chapter
- magnetic effects of current and magnetism
- Topic
- gauss's law for magnetism
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
isolated magnetic monopoles do not exist
NCERT Class 12, Chapter 5 (Magnetism and Matter) states Gauss's law for magnetism: the net magnetic flux through any closed surface is zero, written ∮B⋅dA=0. Physically this means magnetic field lines always form closed loops, with no starting or ending points, because there are no isolated magnetic charges (monopoles). Every field line that enters a closed surface must also leave it, so the inward and outward contributions cancel exactly. The option 'field lines can begin on charges' describes electric fields and Gauss's law for electricity, not magnetism. The option 'the field is always non-uniform' is unrelated to flux and is untrue in general. The option 'magnetic forces do no work' is a true but separate fact about the Lorentz force, not the cause of zero flux. Plausibility check: for electric fields the flux equals enclosed charge over ε0; the magnetic analogue is zero precisely because the magnetic 'charge' (monopole) has never been observed, confirming the first option.
This easy difficulty physics question is from the chapter magnetic effects of current and magnetism, covering the topic of gauss's law for magnetism. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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