PHY3323 Fall 2019

EXAM 2
Total 110 pts

Name:

Use SI unit for all physical quantities. All numerical answers can be given with no more
than two significant digits. You may just write your answer right up to the point to use your
calculator in an organized form without the final numerical answer.
e.g.
3.97 × (1.6 × 10−19 × 106 )
P = .
3 × 108
Useful Information and Conventions
∫
xdx −1
= ( )n−1
(x ± a )
2 2 n
2(n − 1) x2 ± a2
∫
dx ±x
= √
(x2 ± a2 )3/2 a2 x2 ± a2

FIG. 1:

1. E-field from a Continuous Charge Distribution and Taylor Expansion

Figure 1 shows two cases of uniformly distributed charge: (A) a uniform line charge of line
charge density λ, (B) a uniform square surface charge of side length L on the x-y plain
centered at the origin with surface charge density σ.
⃗ r),
(a) Write down the full vector expression for differential electric field at P (0, 0, z), dE(⃗

1
from the charge on the differential line element dx shown in Fig. 1(A). ⃗r = (0, 0, z) (10)

⃗ r), from the

(b) Write down the full vector expression for differential electric field at P , dE(⃗
charge on the differential surface element dxdy shown in Fig. 1(B). (10)

(c) Show that the total electric field at P for Fig. 1(A) is given by
{( ) ( ) }
1 λ z L
⃗
E(⃗r) = −1 + √ x̂ + √ ẑ .(15)
4πϵo z z 2 + L2 z 2 + L2

2
(d) Additional line charge of charge density −λ is added in Fig. 1(A) on the opposite side
on x-axis running from (0, 0, 0) to (−L, 0, 0). Calculate the total electric field at P from
both line charges for z ≫ L up to the first leading order term. Do you expect to have a
term that follows z12 ? (15) Hint: You need to do Taylor expansion to the 2nd term to get
the answer. What is the total charge?

3
 FIG. 2:

2. Application of Gauss’s Law

A long coaxial cable (Fig. 2) carries a uniform positive volume charge density ρ on the
inner cylinder (radius a), and a uniform surface change density on the outer cylindrical
shell (radius b). This surface charge is negative and is of just the right amount that the
cable as a whole is electrically neutral. Find the electrical field in each of the three regions:
(i) inside the inner cylinder (s < a),(ii) between the cylinders (a < s < b), and (iii) outside
the cable (s > b). (30)

(i)

4
(ii)

(iii)

5
3. Electric Potential
(a) In which region in the previous problem, the electric potential is constant? (5) Hint:
⃗ r) = −∇V (⃗r)
E(⃗

(b) Calculate the electric potential in region (i) in the previous problem, V (s < a) knowing
that V (s) = 0 at infinity. (15)