Physics 435

Homework 2

Due September 8, 2014

Each problem is worth five points.

1. Show that:

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a. A(r) r = 0 . !A is a function of r r .
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! ! !
b. dV(r ) = dr V(r )
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y
2. Consider a charge, Q, uniformly distributed throughout a sphere of
radius R that is centered at the origin. A point charge, q, is placed
on the x-axis at x = R/2.
a. Calculate the electric force (a vector) on q.

b. Now, the charge is removed from a sphere of radius R/2,

centered on the y-axis at y = R/2. See the figure at right.
Calculate the force on q now.

R
Figure for part 2b

3. Calculate the electric field produced at a point on the z-axis (i.e., at

(0,0,z) ) due to a line charge that has uniform charge density in the range x1 < x < x2.
Verify the expected behavior when z >> x1 and x2.

4. Suppose the electric field points radially outward from the origin, with a constant magnitude,
E0.
a. Calculate the charge density that is required to produce this field.
b. You should find that the charge density is infinite at the origin. Is there a point charge at
the origin? That is, is there a non-zero amount of charge inside an arbitrarily small
sphere centered at the origin?