PHY 5346

HW Set 1 Solutions Kimel

2
1.3 In general we take the charge density to be of the form = fr, where fr is determined by
physical constraints, such as d 3 x = Q.
a) variables: r, , . d 3 x = dd cos r 2 dr
= frr R = frr R = fRr R

d 3 x = fR r 2 drddr R = 4fRR 2 = Q fR =
r =

Q
4R 2

Q
r R
4R 2

b) variables: r, , z. d 3 x = ddzrdr
r = frr b = fbr b

d 3 x = fb dzdrdrr b = 2fbbL = L fb =

2b

r b
2b
c) variables: r, , z. d 3 x = ddzrdr Choose the center of the disk at the origin, and the z-axis
perpendicular to the plane of the disk
r = frzR r = fzR r
where R r is a step function.
2
d 3 x = f zR rddzrdr = 2 R2 f = Q f = RQ 2
Q
r =
zR r
R 2
d) variables: r, , . d 3 x = dd cos r 2 dr
r = frcos R r = frcos R r
r =

d 3 x = frcos R rdd cos r 2 dr = 0 frrrdrd = 2N 0 rdr = R 2 N = Q

R

where Ive used the fact that rdrd is an element of area and that the charge density is uniformly
distributed over area.
Q
r =
cos R r
R 2 r