Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering

ECN-232 (Engineering Electromagnetics) Assignment No. 1
Spring-2021-22, Due Date: 28/01/2022

2
1. The position of a point in cylindrical coordinates is specified by (4, ,3) What is the
3
location of the point
a) in Cartesian coordinates?
b) in spherical coordinates?
25
2. A field is expressed in spherical coordinates by E = aR ( )
R2
a) Find |E| and Ex at the point P (- 3,4, - 5).
b) Find the angle which E makes with the vector B = 2.ax  2.a y  az at the point P.

3. Express the base vectors aR , a , a of a spherical coordinate system in Cartesian

coordinates.

4. Determine the values of the following products of base vectors:

a) a x .a
b) a .a y
c) ar  ax
d) aR .ar
e) a y .aR
f) aR .az
g) aR  az
h) a .az
i) az  a

5. For a scalar function f and a vector function A, prove that

.( fA)  f .A  A.f

In Cartesian coordinates.

6. Assume the vector function A = ax .3x2 y3  ay .x3 y 2 .

a) Find  A.dl around the triangular contour shown in Fig below.
b) Evaluate  (  A).ds over the triangular area.
c) Can A be expressed as the gradient of a scalar? Explain.

7. For a scalar function f and a vector function G, prove that

 ( fg )  f  G  (f )  G
In cartesian coordinates.

8. Verify the null identities:

a)  (V )  0
b) .( A)  0

9. Given a vector function F=a x (x+c1) + ay (c2x-3z) + az (x+c3 y+ c4z).

a) Determine the constants c1, c2, and c3 if F is irrotational.

b) Determine the constant c4 if F is also solenoid.
c) Determine the scalar potential function V whose negative gradient equals F.

𝜕𝑉
10. Prove that the Lorentz condition for potentials expressed as ∇ ∙ 𝐴 + 𝜇 ∈ = 0, is
𝜕𝑡

consistent with the equation of continuity.

11. The vector magnetic potential A and scalar electric potential V are not unique in that is
possible to add to A the gradient of a scalar 𝜓, ∇𝜓, with no change in B from 𝐵 = ∇ × A

A`=A+∇𝜓

𝜕𝐴
In order not to change E in using 𝐸 = −∇V − 𝜕𝑡 , V must be modified to V`.

a) Find the relation between V` and V.

b) Discuss the condition that 𝜓 must satisfy so that the new potentials A` and V`
𝜕 2𝑉
remain governed by the uncoupled wave equations ∇2 𝐴 − 𝜇 ∈ = − 𝜇𝐽 and
𝜕𝑡
𝜕2𝑉 𝜌
∇2 𝑉 − 𝜇 ∈ = − ∈.
𝜕𝑡
 𝜕𝐴
12. Substitute equations 𝐵 = ∇ × A and 𝐸 + = −∇V in Maxwell’s equations to obtain the
𝜕𝑡

wave equations for scalar potentials V and vector potential A for a linear, isotropic but
𝜕2𝑉 𝜌
inhomogeneous medium. Show that these wave equations reduced to Eq. ∇2 𝑉 − 𝜇 ∈ = −∈
𝜕𝑡
𝜕 2𝑉
and equations ∇2 𝐴 − 𝜇 ∈ = − 𝜇𝐽 for simple media. (Hint: Use the following gauge
𝜕𝑡

conditions for potentials in an inhomogeneous medium:

𝜕𝑉
∇ ∙ (∈ 𝐴) + 𝜇 ∈2 = 0)
𝜕𝑡

13. Prove by direct substitution that any twice differentiable function of (t -R√𝜇 ∈) or of (t +
𝜕2𝑈 𝜕 2𝑈
R√𝜇 ∈) is a solution of the homogenous wave equation, −𝜇 ∈ = 0, where R is
𝜕𝑅2 𝜕𝑡 2

the distance between the source and the point where the potentials is to determined at
time t.
1 𝜌(𝑡−𝑅/𝑢 )
14. Prove that the retarded potential 𝑉 (𝑅, 𝑡) = 4𝜋𝜀 ∫ 𝑑𝑣` satisfies the inhomogeneous
𝑅
𝜕 2𝑉 𝜌
wave equation, ∇2 𝑉 − 𝜇 ∈ =− .
𝜕𝑡 ∈

15. Discuss the relations

a) between the boundary conditions for tangential components E and those for the
normal components of B,
b) between the boundary conditions for normal components D and those for the
tangential components of H.