Problem Set 3

Due Date: Friday, October 8, 10:00 pm

1. Find the dipole moment for the following arrangements.
(a) A ring with charge per unit length λ = λ0 cos ϕ, where λ0 is a constant and ϕ is the
angular variable in cylindrical coordinates.
(b) A sphere with surface charge density σ = σ0 cos θ where σ0 is a constant and θ is the
polar angle in spherical coordinates.
2. Show that a particle initially at rest at (x0 , y0 , 0) moves periodically in a semi-circular arc
when in the electric eld generated by an electric dipole with p⃗ = pẑ .
3. Two dipoles p⃗ and p⃗ ′ , laying in the same plane, are as shown in the gure below. Find the
equilibrium value of θ′ if θ remains xed. The distance between the dipoles also remains xed.

p⃗

θ
θ′

p⃗ ′

4. A sphere of radius R is uniformly coated with a polar molecule so that a dipole layer with
⃗τ = τ r̂ forms on its surface (τ is a constant). Calculate the electric potential everywhere.