Problem 11-15 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields

A system has three conducting surfaces which extend from 1 to +1 in

the z direction. The rst lies in the xz plane extending from y = 0 to
y = 1 and is maintained at potential  = 0. The second, parallel to this
is at x = L and also extends from y = 0 to y = 1 and is maintained at
 = 0. The third surface lies between these in the xz plane and has potential
(x; 0; z) = f (x).
Find the surface charge density on the face at x = 0.

Solution:
The solution for the potential in the region between conductors was found
in the text to be
1
X

nx 
u1 (x; y) = An sin L e ny=L (1)
n=1
 
where An = L2 f (x) sin nx
Z L

L (2)

The potential inside the conductors (for example where x < 0) is
u2 = constant (3)
The surface charge density along the face x = 0 is given by
(0; y) =  (En+ En ) (4)
where En are the normal components of the eld on the -(+) sides of the
y axis.
Using (1) and (3) in (4) we obtain

 =  ( @u 1
 + @u2  )
@x x=0 @x x=0 
1   1
=  nA n cos nx e nAn e
X  X
ny=L  =  ny=L
n=1 L L 
x=0 n=1 L
 
where An = L2 f (x) sin nx
Z L

 L
1
For the special case that f (x) =  (used in the text's example) the An can
be calculated to get
 =  L4
X
e ny=L
n=odd
We can simplify further by summing the innite, geometric series to obtain
y=L
 =   L4 1 e e2y=L

= 2 

L sinh yL

2
 Problem 11-17 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields
This is a two dimensional problem. Consider a square in the xy plane with
corners at (0; 0), (a; 0), (a; a) and (0; a). There is no charge nor matter
inside the square. The sides perpendicular to the y axis have  = 0. The
side at x = a has  =  (a constant) while the side at x = 0 has  =  .
(a) Find (x; y) for points inside the square. (b) Find E~ at the centre of the
square and evaluate the ratio of E~ to ( =a) at this point to four signicant
gures.

Solution:
a) The solution for the potential in the region between conductors was
found in the text to be
X  
u(x; y; z) = A1 ()ex + A2 ()e x (5)
2 +2 + 2 =0
h i
 B ( )ey + B
1 2( )e y (6)
 C1( )e z + C2 ( )e z  (7)
(8)
When we have no z dependence then = 0. If we take  > 0 then
 = i and then the solution can be written as
Xh ih i
u(x; y) = a1 ( )eix + a2 ( )e ix b1 ( )ey + b2 ( )e y (9)

(10)
Introduce boundary condition that u(x; 0) = 0 and we see that b1 ( )+
b2 ( ) = 0 and so the solution becomes
Xh i
u(x; y) = a eix + b e ix sinh y (11)

where we absorb b1 and b2 into a and b .
The boundary condition u(x; a) = 0 then gives  = in=a where n is
an integer in the range 0 to 1. So we have
 
u(x; y) =
Xh
Ane nx=a + Bnenx=a
i ny
sin a (12)
n

3
 The other boundary conditions can be written
 
u(0; y) =  =
X ny
(An + Bn ) sin a
n  
An e n + Bnen sin ny
X 
u(a; y) = + = a
n
The coecients in (13) and (13) are found from
 
2 Z a
An + Bn = a  sin a dy = 2n ny  (cos n 1)(13)
  
n
A e +B e = n +2 Z a
 sin ny dy = 2 (cos n (14)
1)
n n a   a n
For n even, both An and Bn = 0. For n odd, solving we obtain
An sinh n = 4n  e+n=2 cosh n ; A = 8 e+n=2 sinh n
2 n n 2
4
Bn sinh n = + n e  n=2 n 8
cosh 2 ; Bn = + n e  n=2 n
sinh 2
Finally, substitute into (12)
h  i
X
 sinh n2 2ax 1
2  
ny 
u(x; y) = 2 n sinh n
sin a
n odd 2

b) The E -eld at the centre of the square (0:5a; 0:5a) is

Ex = @u 
@x x=y=:5a
h  i 

= 2
X  n  cosh n2 2ax
1 sin  ny 
n odd
a sinh n2 a 
x=y=:5a
= 4 X
(n 1)=2 1
a n odd( 1) sinh n2
Ey = @u 
@y x=y=:5a = 0:0
Ez = @u  = 0:0
@z x=y=:5a

4
 Problem 11-19 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields
Show that the solution of Laplace's equation can be written as a sum of
terms each of the form X (x) + Y (y) + Z (z ). Be sure to show how these
functions, or appropriate derivatives of them, are related, if in fact they are.
Find the general form of X (x) and interpret the corresponding electric eld.

Solution:
Start with Laplace's equation
r u(x; y; z) = 0
2
(15)
and insert a solution of the form suggested
u(x; y; z) = X (x) + Y (y) + Z (z) (16)
to obtain
d2 X (x) + d2 Y (y) + d2 Z (z) = 0 (17)
dx2 dy2 dz 2
For this to hold at all x; y and z each term must be constant
d2 X (x) =  ; d2 Y (y) =  ; d2 Z (z) = (18)
dx2 dy2 dz2
where  +  + = 0 (19)
Solving each of the equations (18) we obtain the most general solution of
this type:
 
u(x; y; z) = P  +  + = 0;  12 x2 + 1 x + 
 ; 1 ;  ; 1 ;
 ; 1   (20)
   21 y2 + 1 y + 
 12 z2 + 1 z + 

5
The eld is E~ (x; y; z ) = r
~ u which becomes
Ex = P  +  + = 0;  (x + 1 ) (21)
 ; 1 ;  ; 1 ;
 ; 1
P
Ey =  +  + = 0;  (y + 1 ) (22)
 ; 1 ;  ; 1 ;
 ; 1
P
Ez =  +  + = 0; (z + 1 ) (23)
 ; 1 ;  ; 1 ;
 ; 1
and so E~ (x; y; z ) is linear in x, y and in z .

6
 Problem 11-24 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields
Solve the two dimensional form of Laplace's equation expressed in plane
polar coordinates (; ) by separation of variables. Thus, show that the
general solution has the form:
u = A + B ln 
X1  B 
+ m m
Am  +  m
m=1
 (Cm cos m + Dm sin m)
where m is a positive integer and  covers its whole possible range. (Hint:
u must be single valued.)

Solution:
This is a problem in cylindrical coordinates with no z dependence. Laplace's
equation in cylindrical coordinates is
 
@ @u
r u =  @  @ + 12 @
2 1 @2u + @2u = 0 (24)
2 @z2
Planar problems with no z dependence omit the z term. Take a solution
of the form u(; ) = R()(). Insert this into Laplace's equation, divide
through by u and multiply by 2
 d  dR  + d2  = 0 (25)
R d d d2
For this to hold at all  and  both terms in (25) must be constant. Dene
the constant to be m2 and obtain
 d  dR  = m2 ; d2  = m2
R d d d2
Solving the  equation we have
 = eim (26)

7
Since u must be single valued then ( +2n) = () where n is any integer.
This means that m must also be an integer in the range 0 to 1. Turning to
the R equation we have
d  dR  m2 = 0
 d (27)
d
For m = 0 this is
d  dR  = 0 ( 6= 0) so that  dR = K a constant
d d d
which leads to R = K ln  + constant
P+1
For m 6= 0 try a series solution R() = n
1 n  . Insert this into (27)
+
X1
(n2 m2 )n n = 0
1
so that n = m
The most general solution for the potential u is therefore
1  
Am m + Bmm (Cm cos m + Dm sin m)
X
u(; ) = K ln  +
m=0
where we note that the constant is absorbed into the m = 0 term.

8
 Problem 11-27 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields
A circle of radius a lies in the xy plane with its centre at the origin. The
semi-circular part of the boundary for x > 0 is kept at the constant potential
 ; the other semi-circular part with x < 0 is kept at the constant potential
 . (a) Find  for all points within the circle. (b) Find E~ at the centre of
the circle.

Solution:

a) This is a problem in cylindrical coordinates with no z dependence.

The most general solution for the potential u is therefore
1  
Am m + Bmm
X
u(; ) = K ln  + constant + (Cm cos m + Dm sin m)
m=0

The boundary conditions for this problem are

u( = a; =2   < +=2) = + (28)
u( = a; =2   < +3=2) =  (29)
u(  a; ) nite (30)
Condition (30) leads immediately to K = 0 and Bm = 0 for all m so
that u( = 0) is nite. We may also choose the constant to be zero so
we have a solution
1
X
u(; ) = m (Em cos m + Fm sin m) (31)
m=0

Conditions (28) and (29) can be written as

u( = a; cos  > 0) = u( = a; cos  < 0) (32)
Setting  = a in (31) then shows that Fm = 0 for all m and that
1
X
u( = a; ) = Em am cos m =  (33)
m=0

9
 Fourier analysis then shows that
 E am =  Z +=2 cos md
2 m 
=2
=  m2 ( 1)(m 1)=2 (m odd)
So that
 m
X ( 1)(m =
u(; ) = 4 
1) 2

m a cos m
modd

b) The eld at the centre is then



r~ u = 4  x^
=0 a

10
 Problem 12-1 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields
At a given instant, a certain system has a current density given by
 
J~f = A x3 x^ + y3 y^ + z3 z^
where A is a positive constant. (a) In what units will A be measured? (b)
At this instant, what is the rate of change of the charge density at the point
(2; 1; 4) meter? (c) Consider the total charge Q contained within a sphere
of radius a centred at the origin. At this instant, what is the rate at which
Q is changing in time? Is Q increasing or decreasing?

Solution:
a) The current density (A
m 2 ) is
J~ = A(x3 x^ + y3 y^ + z3 z^)
so the units for A are A
m 5 .
b) The equation of continuity gives
r~
J~ + @
@t = 0
so that @ ~ ~
@t = r
J = 3A(x + y + z )
2 2 2

At the point (2,-1,4) this is 63A.

c) The total charge within a sphere centred at the origin with radius a is
Z
Q = (x; y; z)d
V
Since a does not depend upon t then we can write
@Q = Z @(x; y; z) d
@t V @t
Z Z 2 Z +1 Z a
= 3A (x + y + z )d = 3A
2 2 2
d d cos  r2 r2 dr
V  1 
= 12 5 Aa
5

Since A > 0 the charge is decreasing.

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 Problem 12-5 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields
A sphere of radius a centred at the origin is made of a l.i.h. conducting
material. The potential on the surface is maintained at the values given in
spherical coordinates by  cos  where  =constant. Find the free current
density J~f everywhere inside.

Solution:
This is a problem with a steady current in a l.i.h. conducting medium so
that Laplace's equation holds for the potential u within. We rst nd the
potential and then J~f = ( r ~ u).
We have a problem with symmetry about the z axis.
r2u(x; y; z) = 0
in sherical coordinates with no  dependence. The general solution is of the
form
1 
Al rl + rBl+1l
X
u(r; ) = Pl (cos )
l=0
There are two regions. u1 is the potential inside the sphere and u2 is the
potential outside. For this problem we only need to nd u1 . The boundary
conditions are that:
u1 (a; ) = u2 (a; ) =  cos  (34)
u1 = nite everywhere (35)
u2 = 0 at r ! 1 (36)
(35) clearly makes all Bl = 0 and (34) makes
Al = 0 (l 6= 1) ; A1 = a
Therefore u1 (r; ) = a r = a z
Therefore
J~f = a  z^

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 Problem 12-13 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields
Show that when the equation
J 2
w = J~f
E~ = E 2 = f
is integrated over the total volume of a uniform conductor, the total rate of
production of heat can be written as I 2 R.

Solution:
The rate of production of heat was written as
J 2
w = J~f
E~ = E 2 = f
where for a l.i.h. conductor J~f and E~ are parallel. Integrating over the
volume of the conductor we get
Z Z
W= wd = J~f
Ed
~
V V
Consider the volume element d = d~a
d~l where d~l is parallel to the area d~a.
Then
Z Z
W = ~ = (J~f
d~a)(E~
d~l) = I
 = I 2 R
J~f
Ed
V V

13
 Problem 12-19 Wangsness Electromagnetic Fields
Verify that = has te dimensions of time.

Solution:
We have (for l.i.h. materials):
D~ = E~ and J~ = E~
therefore the ratio = has the same dimensions as
 

D~ 
 

 J~
J~ has units C
s 1
m 2 and
r~
D~ = f
This last equation tells us that D~ has units C
m 2 . Therefore the ratio =
has units (C
m 2 )/(C
s 1
m 2 )=s.

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