2

JACOB LEWIS BOURJAILY

c) We are to compute the total force acting on the plane by directly integrating over 2 /2 0 . Let us proceed to compute the force directly F = da 2 q 2 d2 = 2 0 8 2 0 2 2 dud q d = , 8 2 0 u3/2 q 2 d2 1 = , 2 16 0 u d2 q 2 d2 , 16 0 d4 F = q2 1 z. 4 0 (2d)2 rdrd , (r2 + d2 )3/2

d) We are to compute the work required to remove the charge from its position to innity. By direct computation, we see that the work required is

W =
d

Fd =

q2 16

0 d

dz q2 = 2 z 16

1 z

=
d

q2 . 16 0 d

e) Let us compute the potential energy of the charge-image-charge system and compare this result with that of part (d) above. From the denition of potential energy, we see that q2 . 8 0 d This is precisely twice the energy required to pull the charge q to innity. This is expected: the energy is twice that of the original system because we also have energy associated with the electric eld of the image charge. In the original system, there is only the electric eld of a single charge. Furthermore, notice that the position and hence energy of the image charge depends on the charge and position of q. This implies that it is negligent to consider q moving in a static eld produced by q . U= 2.2 Let us consider the problem of a point charge q located inside a hollow, grounded, conducting sphere of inner radius a. a) We are to nd the potential function describing the inside of the sphere. This problem is supercially similar to that discussed in Jacksons text regarding a charge located outside a conducting, grounded sphere. It should be clear that if the charge is located at the point r, then, by axial symmetry, the image charge must be located along the direction of r at a distance of r > aif the method of image charges applies. Therefore, the potential at a point x will be given in the form 1 q q (x) = + , 4 0 |x r| |x r | Because the sphere is grounded, we must have identical to that required for the situation must have that q q = and a r In particular, this implies that q 1 (x) = 4 0 (x2 + r2 2xr cos )1/2 (x) = 0 x| x = a. This situation is described in Jackson and therefore we r a = . a r r x2 + a
a4 r2

2x a cos r

1/2

PHYSICS 505: CLASSICAL ELECTRODYNAMICS HOMEWORK 2

b) Let us compute the charge distribution induced on the sphere. We call on the simple symmetry of the charge-image-charge system noting that this is identical to the charge distribution induced by the image charge on the outside of the sphere. Because we have already derived this expression in classand in Jacksonup to a redenition of r and r , we simply have that (x) = 0 x =
|x|=a

q 4ar 1 +

1
a2 r2

a2 r2 3/2

2 a cos r

where is the angle between r and x. c) Let us compute the force acting on the charge q. Using our results above, we see that F = q2 ar r. 4 0 (a2 r2 )2

d) We are to discuss how the work above is altered, if at all, if the sphere were kept at xed potential V or if there were total charge Q on its inner and outer surfaces. Neither of the two situations alters the work above because neither would eect the interior of the sphereonly the outside. By Gau law, we know that the electric eld inside a charged or xed-potential sphere is identically zero. Because electrostatics is linear, the eld inside the sphere will be the linear sum of that described above and that caused by the spherewhich is vanishing. Hence, there is no alteration. 2.7 Let us consider the space R3 satisfying Dirichlet boundary conditions on the plane R3 . a) We are to nd the appropriate Greens function describing this system. In many ways, this problem is similar to that describing a point charge and an innite conducting plane. Specically, we see that the Greens function given by 1 1 G(x, x ) = , 1/2 1/2 ((x1 x1 )2 + (x2 x2 )2 + (x3 x3 )2 ) ((x1 x1 )2 + (x2 x2 )2 + (x3 + x3 )2 ) is of the correct form and satises the Dirichlet boundary conditions. In particular, we manifestly have that G(x, x ) = 0 x |x3 = 0. Hence, this is our required Greens function. b) Let us say that the potential on the plane x3 = 0 is specied to be = V inside a circle of radius a and vanish outside the circle. We are to nd an integral expression for the potential in cylindrical coordinates. In general, we know that the potential function for a problem with a Greens function satisfying Dirichlet boundary conditions is given by (x) = 1 4 0 (x )G(x, x )d3 x
R3

1 4

(x )
R3

G(x, x ) da . n

Because the space is empty of charges, the rst integral identically vanishes and we must only consider the boundary integral. Up to a sign which we will set a posteriori, we see that G(x, x ) x3 =
x3 =0

x3 x3 ((x1 x1 )2 + (x2 x2 2x3 ((x1 x1 )2 + (x2 x2 )2 + x2 ) 3

3/2

)2

+ (x3 x3 .

3/2 )2 )

x3 + x3 ((x1 x1 )2 + (x2 x2 )2 + (x3 + x3 )2 )

3/2 x3 =0

Later, we will see that the n -direction should coincide with x3 so that the potential at the surface is positive; this is identical to inserting the seemingly spurious minus sign in the above calculation.