Major American Universities Ph.D. Qualifying Questions and Solutions PROBLEMS ANpD SOLUTIONS on Compiled by The Physics Coaching Class University of Science and Technology of China Refereed by Zhao Shu-ping, You Jun-han, Zhu Jun-jie Edited by: Lim Yung-kuo World ScientificMajor American Universities Ph.D. Qualifying Questions and Solutions PROBLEMS anpb SOLUTIONS on ELECTROMAGNETISM Compiled by: The Physics Coaching Class i by 4 eee i SL ‘©, University of Science and & 3 Technology of China oe Re 3? 30 Refereed by: Zhao Shu-ping, You Jun-han, Zhu Jun-jie Edited by: Lim Yung-kuo Ye World Scientific NewJersey + London « Singapore « Hong KongPublished by ‘World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. First published 1993 Reprinted 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 Major American Universities Ph.D. Qualifying Questions and Solutions PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS ON ELECTROMAGNETISM Copyright © 1993 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher. For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher. ISBN 981-02-0625-9 d b ISBN 981-02-0626-7 (pbk) a. (a) Write down an expression for the electrostatic potential (z)at a point z on the axis in terms of p(z’). (b) Derive a multipole expansion for the potential valid for z > a. (c) For each charge configuration given in Fig. 1.3, find (i) the total charge Q = f pdz’, (ii) the dipole moment P = f z'pdz’, (iii) the quadrupole moment Qe = 2 f z/?pdz", (iv) the leading term (in powers of 1/z) in the potential ® at a point z >a. (Wisconsin)8 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism Solution: (a) The electrostatic potential at a point on z-axis is - [* a) 2) = aa lz - eee (b) For z > a,a > 2’ > —a, we have Hence the multipole expansion of (z) is a2) = o =| iE HP ae 4 [ee a f Hee ay, 7 (c) The charge configuration (I) can be represented by e(2') = 95(2'), for which () Q=4; (i) P=0; (iil) Qee=0; (iv) O2)= Tee’ The charge configuration (II) can be represented by p(z') = -18(2! + $) + 48(2! - ) 7 for which (i) Q=0; (ii) P=qa; (iii) Qee 3 (iv) O(z)=- teat iElectrostatics 9 The charge configuration (III) can be represented by plz!) = a6(2! + $) + a6(2 - $) — 248(2'), for which i i an a qa? (i) Q=0; (ii) P=0; (iii) Qee= a’; (iv) 2) = Sega 1004 Two uniform infinite sheets of electric charge densities +o and —o intersect at right angles. Find the magnitude and direction of the electric field everywhere and sketch the lines of E. (Wisconsin) Solution: First let us consider the infinite sheet of charge density +o. The mag- nitude of the electric field caused by it at any space point is o E= 0" The direction of the electric field is perpendicular to the surface of the sheet. For the two orthogonal sheets of charge densities to, superposition of their electric fields yields v20 eo * The direction of E is as shown in Fig. 1.4. +0 -o Fig. 1.410 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism 1005 Gauss’ law would be invalid if (a) there were magnetic monopoles, (b) the inverse-square law were not exactly true, (c) the velocity of light were not a universal constant. (ccT) Solution: The answer is (b). 1006 An electric charge can be held in a position of stable equilibrium: (a) by a purely electrostatic field, (b) by a mechanical force, (c) neither of the above. (ccT) Solution: The answer is (c). 1007 If P is the polarization vector and E is the electric field, then in the equation P = aE, a in general is: (a) scalar, (b) vector, (c) tensor. (cr) Solution: The answer is (c). 1008 (a) A ring of radius R has a total charge +Q uniformly distributed on it. Calculate the electric field and potential at the center of the ring.Electrostatics i (b) Consider a charge —Q constrained to slide along the axis of the ring. Show that the charge will execute simple harmonic motion for small displacements perpendicular to the plane of the ring. (Wisconsin) Solution: As in Fig. 1.5, take the z-axis along the axis of the ring. The electric field and the potential at the center of the ring are given by 4neoR +a Pp —ez -a@ Fig. 1.5 The electric field at a point P on the z-axis is given by Qz EB) = Geet pe Thus a negative charge —Q at point p is acted upon by a force Qe F(z) = ~ Treo? + Pre . As z < R, F(z) « z and —Q will execute simple harmonic motion. 1009 An amount of charge q is uniformly spread out in a layer on the surface of a disc of radius a. (a) Use elementary methods based on the azimuthal symmetry of the charge distribution to find the potential at any point on the axis of sym- metry.12 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism (b) With the aid of (a) find an expression for the potential at any point x (|r| > a) as an expansion in angular harmonics. (Wisconsin) Solution: (a) Take coordinate axes as in Fig. 1.6 and consider a ring formed by circles with radii p and p + dp on the disc. The electrical potential at a point (0,0, z) produced by the ring is given by le q 2xpdp d fea ‘ ‘P= ameo na? \/p? + 2? Integrating, we obtain the potential due to the whole ring: _ f_4 pdp (2) = i; hag “Verte Teegu (Va? +2? — |eI). = ie a’ (b) At a point |r| > a, Laplace’s equation V?~ = 0 applies, with solution © (7,8) = >> (200 + ir) Paced). n=0 As y — 0 for r — oo, we have a, = 0. In the upper half-space, z > 0, the potential on the axis is y = ¢(r, 0). As P,(1) = 1, we have ae v(r,0) = L petiElectrostatics 13 In the lower half-space, z < 0, the potential on the axis is p = (r,m). As Pa(-1) = (-1)", we have ena) = yaa. n=0 Using the results of (a) and noting that for a point on the axis |r| = z, we have for z > 0 However, as a2\ 3/2 (: + 5) u + Comparing the coefficients of powers of r gives g_HE-1)..G =n) on bent =0, bana = Treoa? nal Hence, the potential at any point r of the half-plane z > 0 is given by S Hd-1).. Gat] 0) = 755) ‘ : “ ! =1 ~ 3 in— 1 x (2) Pin-a(eoed), (2> 0).14 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism Similarly for the half-plane z < 0, as (—1)?"-? = 1 we have 4 St )...(J-n41) vr) = Qxeoa x n! @n-1 x (2) Pon—2(cos@) (z <0). Thus the same expression for the potential applies to all points of space, which is a series in Legendre polynomials. 1010 A thin but very massive disc of insulator has surface charge density 7 and radius R. A point charge +Q is on the axis of symmetry. Derive an expression for the force on the charge. (Wisconsin) Solution: Refer to Problem 1009 and Fig. 1.6. Let Q be at a point (0,0, z) on the axis of symmetry. The electric field produced by the disc at this point is whence the force on the point charge is By symmetry the direction of this force is along the axis of the disc. 1011 The cube in Fig. 1.7 has 5 sides grounded. The sixth side, insulated from the others, is held at a potential ¢o. What is the potential at the center of the cube and why? (MIT)Electrostatics 15 + I" Fig. 1.7 Solution: The electric potential ¢. at the center of the cube can be expressed as a linear function of the potentials of the six sides, i.e., be= Ladi , where the C;’s are constants. As the six sides of the cube are in the same relative geometrical position with respect to the center, the C;’s must have the same value, say C. Thus $e =CP 4. If each of the six sides has potential ¢o, the potential at the center will obviously be ¢o too. Hence C = . Now as the potential of one side only is ¢o while all other sides have potential zero, the potential at the center is 40/6. 1012 A sphere of radius R carries a charge Q, the charge being uniformly distributed throughout the volume of the sphere. What is the electric field, both outside and inside the sphere? (Wisconsin) Solution: The volume charge density of the sphere is ag. OS TR16 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism Take as the Gaussian surface a spherical surface of radius r concentric with the charge sphere. By symmetry the magnitude of the electric field at all points of the surface is the same and the direction is radial. From Gauss’ law : fe-as== [ov £0 we immediately obtain Ld EB=Gear (2), = —& ita 4neoR® (sk). 1013 Consider a uniformly charged spherical volume of radius R which con- tains a total charge Q. Find the electric field and the electrostatic potential at all points in the space. (Wisconsin) Solution: Using the results of Problem 1012 = —& B= gee, (rsh) __Qr Ba = eqns’ (r> R) and the relation between electrostatic field intensity and potential 7 vo) = [ E-a, P we obtain R ‘00 at)= f E,-ar+ [ Ey «dr ir RK 2 Qrdr °° Qdr 4neoR® Jp 4neor?Electrostatics 17 1014 For a uniformly charged sphere of radius R and charge density p, (a) find the form of the electric field vector E both outside and inside the sphere using Gauss’ law; (b) from E find the electric potential ¢ using the fact that ¢ — 0 as r+ 00. (Wisconsin) Solution: (a) Same as for Problem 1013. (b) Referring to Problem 1013, we have RS for r>R, o=5-8, RS 2 for r 1016 A solid conducting sphere of radius r; has a charge of +Q. It is sur- rounded by a concentric hollow conducting sphere of inside radius rz and18 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism outside radius rs. Use the Gaussian theorem to get expressions for (a) the field outside the outer sphere, (b) the field between the spheres. (c) Set up an expression for the potential of the inner sphere. It is not necessary to perform the integrations. (Wisconsin) Solution: Because of electrostatic equilibrium the inner surface of the hollow conducting sphere carries a total charge —Q, while the outer surface carries a total charge +Q. Using Gauss’ law feds = Se, . £0 where Qtot is the algebraic sum of all charges surrounded by a closed surface 8, we obtain (a) B@)=aeprer (vr > 18) (b) E)= wer (2 >r >) (c) Using the expression for the potential y(p) = eu E-dl, we find the potential of the inner sphere: ™ @ - @ (ri) = iE Aneor? dr + iE Treo? 1017 The inside of a grounded spherical metal shell (inner radius R, and outer radius Rp) is filled with space charge of uniform charge density p. Find the electrostatic energy of the system. Find the potential at the center. (Wisconsin) Solution: Consider a concentric spherical surface of radius r(r < Ry). Using Gauss’ law we get Le. £0 E= ortElectrostetics 19 As the shell is grounded, y(R) = 0,E = 0(r > Rez). Thus ‘Ry P 9(r) = [ Bar = £(RE-). 7 The potential at the center is (0) = shor} PY) = Be0" 1: The electrostatic energy is 2p? RE w= [} ava [" Zot). +4artdr = =] QPP =o}, beg ° = ey 1018 A metal sphere of radius a is surrounded by a concentric metal sphere of inner radius b, where 6 > a. The space between the spheres is filled with a material whose electrical conductivity o varies with the electric field strength EF according to the relation o = KE, where K is a constant. A potential difference V is maintained between the two spheres. What is the current between the spheres? (Wisconsin) Solution: Since the current is I=j-S=cE-S=KE?.S= KE" -4nr’, 1 I Ea lV aK and the potential is 7 «fT / I b v=-[ B-ar=- f Tek r= a(2). Hence the current between the spheres is given by the electric field is I = 4xKV?/In(b/a).20 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism 1019 An isolated soap bubble of radius 1 cm is at a potential of 100 volts. If it collapses to a drop of radius 1 mm, what is the change of its electrostatic energy? (Wisconsin) Solution: If the soap bubble carries a charge Q, its potential is -—2 Ancor” For r=r,; = 1cm, V = V; = 100 V, we have Q = 4x€or1V;. As the radius changes from r; to r2 = 1 mm, the change of electrostatic energy is 2. 2 AW ee 2neo(rVi)? at 8xeor2 8x€0r1 m2 TL 1 1 a 12 —12 2» (—__ = 2m x 8.85 x 107)? x (107"? x 100)? x eo ie) =5x 10-83. 1020 A static electric charge is distributed in a spherical shell of inner radius R, and outer radius R2. The electric charge density is given by p = a+ br, where r is the distance from the center, and zero everywhere else. (a) Find an expression for the electric field everywhere in terms of r. (b) Find expressions for the electric potential and energy density for r < R;. Take the potential to be zero at r — 00. (SUNY, Buffalo) Solution: Noting that pis a function of only the radius r, we can take a concentric spherical surface of radius r as the Gaussian surface in accordance with the symmetry requirement. Using Gauss’ law fr-as= x fore,Electrostatics a we can get the following results: (a) Electric field strength. For r < R,, E; = 0. For Ry r, from 4ar? Es = 45 Re (a + br’)r’7dr’ we get Bs = os [$e — ny + S08 - R)]e. (b) Potential and the energy density for r < Ri. Noting that (co) = 0, the potential is woe [man ([e [ee = 2 [fers - + G98 Rd). Also, as E; = 0(r < Rj), the energy density for r < Ry is We SH =0. 1021 An electric charge Q is uniformly distributed over the surface of a sphere of radius r. Show that the force on a small charge element dq is radial and outward and is given by dF= 5d, where E = a3 is the electric field at the surface of the sphere. (Wisconsin) Solution: The surface charge density is given by -@ o=7>- 4nr?22 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism As shown in Fig. 1.8, we consider a point P inside the sphere close to an area element ds. The charge dg on this area element will produce at the point P an electric field which is approximately that due to a uniformly charged infinite plate, namely, o E,p =-~—n, WP 2e0" where n is a unit vector normal to ds in the outward direction. ds Fig. 1.8 The electric field is zero inside the sphere. Hence, if we take Ezp as the electric field at P due to all the charges on the spherical surface except the element ds, we must have Ep = E,p + Ep = 0. Therefore, Q Esp = 36, As P is close to ds, E2p may be considered as the field strength at ds due to the charges of the spherical surface. Hence, the force acting on ds is <2. 8xeqr? dF = dqEpp = 5 Edn, where E = Q/4xeor? is just the field strength on the spherical surface. 1022 A sphere of radius R, has charge density p uniform within its volume, except for a small spherical hollow region of radius Rz located a distance a from the center.Electrostatics 23 (a) Find the field E at the center of the hollow sphere. (b) Find the potential ¢ at the same point. (UC, Berkeley) Solution: (a) Consider an arbitrary point P of the hollow region (see Fig. 1.9) and let OP=r, Q'P=r’, OO'=a, r’'=r-a. Fig. 1.9 If there were no hollow region inside the sphere, the electric field at the point P would be E, =r. 3€0 If only the spherical hollow region has charge density p the electric field at P would be =f E, = sr . Hence the superposition theorem gives the electric field at P as P E=E, —-E,= =a. i a 30" Thus the field inside the hollow region is uniform. This of course includes the center of the hollow. (b) Suppose the potential is taken to be zero at an infinite point. Con- sider an arbitrary sphere of radius R with a uniform charge density p. We can find the electric fields inside and outside the sphere as £, rR.24 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism Then the potential at an arbitrary point inside the sphere is 6=([+[")e-e= £or--), qa) where r is the distance between this point and the spherical center. Now consider the problem in hand. If the charges are distributed throughout the sphere of radius Rj, let ¢; be the potential at the center O’ of the hollow region. If the charge distribution is replaced by a small sphere of uniform charge density p of radius Rin the hollow region, let the potential at O’ be $2. Using (1) and the superposition theorem, we obtain = ds — do = #-(3R? — 92) — -P-(3,R? — do =¢1 r= go GRi a’) Beg 82 0) = Gey (SCR? - RE) - 0°]. 1023 The electrostatic potential at a point P due to an idealized dipole layer of moment per unit area r on surface S is Eis fae p= Ameo oo dS, where r is the vector from the surface element to the point P. (a) Consider a dipole layer of infinite extent lying in the z-y plane of uniform moment density r = re,. Determine whether ¢ or some derivative of it is discontinuous across the layer and find the discontinuity. (b) Consider a positive point charge q located at the center of a spher- ical surface of radius a. On this surface there is a uniform dipole layer 7 and a uniform surface charge density 7. Find r and o so that the poten- tial inside the surface will be just that of the charge q, while the potential outside will be zero. (You may make use of whatever you know about the potential of a surface charge.) (SUNY, Buffalo) Solution: (a) By symmetry the electrostatic potential at point P is only depen- dent on the z coordinate. We choose cylindrical coordinates (R,0,z) suchElectrostatics 25 that P is on the z-axis, Then the potential at point P is 1 Ter 1 TZ P= Fe | = ee | Asr? = R? +.27,dS = 2xRdR, we get é _ 2xrz [@ RdR ={ we z>0, P< Fredo (te Le, 2<0. Hence, the electrostaic potential is discontinous across the z-y plane (for which z = 0). The discontinuity is given by T Tt T a6=a5-(-3) °° (b) It is given that ¢ = 0 for r > a. Consequently E = 0 for r > a. Using Gauss’ law fe .s=2, £0 we find that o -4xa? + q=0. Thus cea 4a?” If the potential at infinity is zero, then the potential outside the spherical surface will be zero everywhere. But the potential inside the sphere is g= ae For r = a, = 7,2, so that the discontinuity at the spherical surface is q Ag=- : ¢ Aneoa We then have © = —ae giving26 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism 2. ELECTROSTATIC FIELD IN A CONDUCTOR (1024-1042) 1024 A charge @ is placed on a capacitor of capacitance C,. One terminal is connected to ground and the other terminal is insulated and not connected to anything. The separation between the plates is now increased and the capacitance becomes C2 (C2 < C;). What happens to the potential on the free plate when the plates are separated? Express the potential V2 in terms of the potential V;. (Wisconsin) Solution: In the process of separation the charge on the insulated plate is kept constant. Since Q = CV, the potential of the insulated plate increases as C has decreased. If V; and V2 are the potentials of the insulated plate before and after the separation respectively, we have a h=G Y. 1025 Figure 1.10 shows two capacitors in series, the rigid center section of length b being movable vertically. The area of each plate is A. Show that the capacitance of the series combination is independent of the position of the center section and is given by C = 42. If the voltage difference between the outside plates is kept constant at Vo, what is the change in the energy stored in the capacitors if the center section is removed? (Wisconsin) t, J b Kw 7 % Lt Fig. 1.10 aeElectrostatics a7 Solution: Let d; be the distance between the two upper plates and dz be the distance between the two lower plates. From Fig. 1.10 we see that d;+d)=a-6, £0A eA q=,a=-™@. ds aids For the two capacitors in series, the total capacitance is C= CiC,_ _ Aé&o_ _ Abo ~O+C2° dtd,” a-b° As C is independent of d, and dz, the total capacitance is independent of the position of the center section. The total energy stored in the capacitor is _ live Aeove W = 50V0 = 20-8) The energy stored if the center section is removed is AeoVe 1 = TEO"o ee 2a’ and we have AcoV2 b _p a= Ae & uM ~ %(a-b)a’ 1026 A parallel-plate capacitor is charged to a potential V and then dis- connected from the charging circuit. How much work is done by slowly changing the separation of the plates from d to d’ # d? (The plates are circular with radius r > d.) (Wisconsin) Solution: Neglecting edge effects, the capacitance of the parallel-plate capacitor is C = £95 and the stored energy is W = }CV?. As the charges on the plates, Q = +CV, do not vary with the separation, we have c V=av.28 Problems & Solutions on Electromagnetism The energy stored when separation is d’ is 2 2 w=to(Sv)' =}. Sv. Thus the change of the energy stored in the capacitor is =-w'-w=tov?(£-1) -1ey2(%_ AW =W'-w = 5ov"( = -1) = 50v7(F-1). Therefore, the work done in changing the separation from d to d’ is eomr?(d’ — d)V? 2d? . 1027 A parallel-plate capacitor of plate area 0.2 m? and plate spacing 1 cm is charged to 1000 V and is then disconnected from the battery. How much work is required if the plates are pulled apart to double the plate spacing? What will be the final voltage on the capacitor? (€o = 8.9 x 107!? C?/(N - m?)) (Wisconsin) Solution: When the plates are pulled apart to double the plate spacing, the capacitance of the capacitor becomes C’ = g, where C = sof is the ca- pacitance before the spacing was increased. If a capacitor is charged to a voltage U, the charge of the capacitor is Q = CU. As the magnitude of the charge Q is constant in the process, the change of the energy stored in the capacitor is = 10 _loyp = = 3cu 2d 2x 0.01 =8.9x 10-5 J.