FISI - 6431 Problem Set 2 Entregar: September 24, 10:00 pm

FISI - 6431

Problem Set 2
Instrucciones: Solve the following problems. Convert you work to pdf and hand it in using
Moodle before the due date.
1. E~ of a charged slab + charged sheet.
Find the electric eld of
ρ(~r) = σ0 δ(x) + ρ0 (Θ(x) − Θ(x − b))

where σ0 , ρ0 and b are constants. Also, show by explicit calculation that ρ(~r) does not exert
a net force on itself.
2. Innite Parallel Plates
Consider two innite parallel sheets of charge that are a distance d apart. One of the sheet
has a constant surface charge density σ0 and the other has a constant surface charge density
−σ0 .
a ) Calculate E
~ between the plates and outside the parallel plates.
b ) Calculate the electric potential φ between the plates and outside the plates. Choose as
the reference point where φ(~r0 = 0 either a point in one of the plates or a point halfway
between the plates. (Why it is not recommended to choose innity as the reference point
in this case?)
3. Ionization Energy of Hydrogen
Model the hydrogen atom as a positive point charge +e surrounded by a negative charge
distribution  
e 2r
ρ− (~r) = − exp −
πa2 r a
where e is the magnitude of the proton's charge and a is a constant known as Bohr's radius.
Show that the ionization energy of hydrogen is
3 e2
I=
8 π0 a

4. Electrostatic Energy
Let the space between to concentric spheres, with radii a and R < a, be lled uniformly with
charge Q.
a ) Calculate the total energy UE in terms of the total charge Q and the variable x = a/R.
Check the a = 0 and the a = R limit.
b ) Minimize UE with respect to x, keeping the charge Q constant. Identify the physical
system which achieves the minimum you nd.
FISI - 6431 Problem Set 2 Entregar: September 24, 10:00 pm

5. Induced Charge.
From your undergraduate education, you know that grounded conductors acquire an induced
charge on its surface when an external charge is brought near the conductor. Also, remember
that the electric potential on a grounded conductor is φ = 0 everywhere in the conductor.
Consider two grounded, innite conducting sheets. The sheets are parallel to one another
and separated by a distance d. A charge q is somewhere between the sheets. Use Green's
reciprocity relation to prove that the charge induced on one of the plates is −q times a/d,
where a is the distance from the charge to the other plate.
HINT: As the second system on Green's reciprocity relation use a parallel sheet system where
you know the charge and the potential.