DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

UNION CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, ALUVA

PH 1C03 Electrodynamics Assignment 1 18 Octonber 2015

Due on 27 October 2015

dη µ
1. Define the proper acceleration αµ = dτ
.

(a) Find α0 and α

~ in terms of ~u and ~a.
(b) Compute αµ αµ .
(c) Show that η µ αµ .
(d) Evaluate the invariant product K µ ηµ .

2. Show that the following electromagnetic quantities are invariant under Lorentz trans-
formation.

(a) E.B.
(b) E 2 − c2 B 2 .

3. Suppose that in one inertial system B = 0 and E 6= 0 at some point say p. Is it possible
to find another system in which E = 0 at the point p?

4. A long straight wire along z axis carries a charge density λ moving in the +z direction
with a velocity v. Find the field tensor and its dual tensor at the point (x, 0, 0).

5. Calculate the Lorentz scalars in terms of the electric field E and magnetic field B.

(a) F µν Fµν .
(b) F µν Gµν
(c) Gµν Gµν

6. Calculate and interpret the zeroth component of the Minkowski force K ν = qηµ F νµ .