Phys 505, Electromagnetic Theory Homework 1, Due March 29, 2022

1. Using Gauss’s Law, calculate (a) the electric field both inside and outside a solid charged sphere of
radius a, with charge density ρ(r) = ρ0 (r 2 /a2 ), and (b) the potential Φ(r).
2. A thick, infinitely long cylinder, with radius R carries a nonuniform charge density given by ρ(r) =
ρ0 (r/R). Using Gauss’s Law, find the electric field for (a) r < R, and (b) r > R. (c) Assuming the
Φ(0, φ, z) = 0, calculate Φ(r) for r < R, and r > R.
3. A point charge q is placed a distance x from the center of an uncharged conducting sphere of radius
R. (a) What is the force on q? (b) what is the induced dipole moment of the sphere? (c) How much
work is done to bring q from infinity to its final position?
4. Given the vector field v(x, y) = xy i + (x2 + y 2) j, evaluate the line integral
Z (1,2)
v · dℓ
(0,0)

over the parabolic path y = 2x2 .

5. Calculate the flux of the electric field of a point charge q at the origin, over the spherical cap defined
by r = a, 0 < θ < β, and 0 < φ < 2π, where r, θ, φ are the usual spherical coordinates. Express
your answer in terms of q, β and relevant constants.
6. Two point objects, each with mass m but having equal and opposite charges ±q are connected by a
massless rod of length a, thus forming a dipole. The dipole is placed in a uniform electric field E. İf
the dipole initially makes an angle θ ≪ 1 with the electric field, find the frequency of small angular
oscillations of the dipole.
7. Four identical point charges q, each with mass m are placed at the corners of a square of side a. All
of the charges are now released simultaneously from rest. Find the speed of each charge when they
are infinitely far apart.
8. An infinite conducting plane at z = 0 has a hemispherical conducting bump of radius a glued onto
it with the center of the hemispherical bump at the origin. Using the image charge method, find the
Green’s function for the region z > 0 and x2 + y 2 + z 2 > a2 .
a

9. A uniformly charged thin circular wire, with radius R and charge +Q, is held fixed in the xy-plane,

1
 with the center of the wire at the origin.

(a) Find the potential at points along the z-axis as a function of z.

(b) A small particle with charge −q and mass m is now placed at the point (0, 0, z0 ) and released
from rest. Find its speed as it passes through the center of the ring.
x

+Q

R
−q, m
z
(0, 0, z0)

10. A slab of thickness d, and dielectric constant ǫ = Kǫ0 is partially inserted between the plates of a
parallel plate capacitor. Find the force on the slab, assuming the charge on the capacitor is constant.
(Hint: Find the energy stored in the capacitor. Then use F = −∇U.)

11. Using Dirac delta functions in the appropriate coordinate system, find an expression for ρ(x) for the
following charge distributions:

(a) A uniformly charged spherical shell of radius a with total charge Q, in spherical coordinates.
(b) A uniformly charged cylindrical shell with radius a, with surface charge density σ, and with
its axis of symmetry along the z axis, in cylindrical coordinates.
(c) A point charge Q at the location (x0 , y0 , z0 ) in cartesian coordinates.
(d) A uniformly charged circular wire with radius a and total charge Q lying in the xy-plane with
its center at the origin, in cylindrical coordinates.
(e) Same in spherical coordinates.

12. The electron wave function for the ground state of the Hydrogen atom is ψ(r) = Ce−r/a0 where C
is the normalization constant, and a0 is the Bohr radius.

(a) Calculate the normalization constant C

2
 (b) Interpreting −q|ψ|2 as the charge density for the electron, and assuming that the nucleus is a
point charge, calculate the interaction energy between the proton and the electron.

13. Using separation of variables, find the potential Φ(ρ, φ) inside an annular region defined by

a6ρ6b and 0 6 φ 6 π/2

There are no charges inside the region of interest and the boundary conditions are given as
Φ(ρ, 0) = Φ(ρ, π/2) = 0
Φ(b,φ) = 0
∂Φ 
= E = Constant
∂r ρ=a

14. Two identical conducting spheres, each with a charge Q and radius R are separated such that the
distance d between their centers is much larger than their radii, i.e. R ≪ d. Using image charges,
find the lowest order correction, in R/d, to the Coulomb force between them. (HINT: Assume first
that the charge is uniformly distributed on each sphere, then use the image charge method to find
the dipole moment induced in each sphere, and hence find the correction)

15. Four charges are located along the z-axis as follows:

+Q at z = 3a/2, −Q at z = a/2, +Q at z = −a/2, and −Q at z = −3a/2.
Find the potential Φ(r, θ) for r ≫ a by expanding the potential in powers of a/r and by keeping the
lowest order nonvanishing term.

16. Using the volume integral of the electrostatic energy density, find the electrostatic potential energy
for the charge distributions given below:

(a) A uniformly charged hollow spherical shell with radius a and total charge Q, immersed in a
dielectric medium with dielectric constant K.
(b) A uniformly charged solid sphere with radius a and total charge Q in vacuum.
(c) A non-uniformly charged sphere with radius a and total charge Q, where the charge density ρ
increases as r 2 .

17. Eight identical point charges q, each with mass m are placed at the corners of a cube of side a. Two
of the charges at a body diagonal are now simultaneously released from rest, while the remaining 6
are held in place. Find the speed of the charges when they are infinitely far away.