PHYSICS 505: CLASSICAL ELECTRODYNAMICS HOMEWORK 2 3

b) Let us compute the charge distribution induced on the sphere.

We call on the simple symmetry of the charge-image-charge system noting that this is
identical to the charge distribution induced by the image charge on the outside of the
sphere. Because we have already derived this expression in class—and in Jackson—up
to a redefinition of r and r0 , we simply have that
¯ 2
∂ϕ ¯¯ q 1 − ar2
σ(x) = − ²0 = ,
∂x ¯|x|=a 4πar ¡1 + a2 − 2 a cos θ¢3/2
r 2 r

where θ is the angle between r and x.

c) Let us compute the force acting on the charge q.

Using our results above, we see that
q2 ar
F = r̂.
4π²0 (a2 − r2 )2

d) We are to discuss how the work above is altered, if at all, if the sphere were kept at fixed potential
V or if there were total charge Q on its inner and outer surfaces.
Neither of the two situations alters the work above because neither would effect the
interior of the sphere—only the outside. By Gauß’ law, we know that the electric field
inside a charged or fixed-potential sphere is identically zero. Because electrostatics
is linear, the field inside the sphere will be the linear sum of that described above
and that caused by the sphere—which is vanishing. Hence, there is no alteration.

2.7 Let us consider the space ½R3 satisfying Dirichlet boundary conditions on the plane ∂½R3 .
a) We are to find the appropriate Green’s function describing this system.
In many ways, this problem is similar to that describing a point charge and an infinite
conducting plane. Specifically, we see that the Green’s function given by
1 1
G(x, x0 ) = 1/2
− 1/2
,
0 0 0
((x1 − x1 )2 + (x2 − x2 )2 + (x3 − x3 )2 ) ((x1 − x1 )2 + (x2 − x02 )2 + (x3 + x03 )2 )
0

is of the correct form and satisfies the Dirichlet boundary conditions. In particular,
we manifestly have that G(x, x0 ) = 0 ∀x0 |x03 = 0. Hence, this is our required Green’s
function.

b) Let us say that the potential on the plane x03 = 0 is specified to be ϕ = V inside a circle of
radius a and vanish outside the circle. We are to find an integral expression for the potential in
cylindrical coordinates.
In general, we know that the potential function for a problem with a Green’s function
satisfying Dirichlet boundary conditions is given by
Z Z
1 1 ∂G(x, x0 ) 0
ϕ(x) = ρ(x0 )G(x, x0 )d3 x0 − ϕ(x0 ) da .
4π²0 ½R3 4π ∂½R3 ∂n0
Because the space is empty of charges, the first integral identically vanishes and we
must only consider the boundary integral.
Up to a sign which we will set a posteriori, we see that
¯ Ã !¯
∂G(x, x0 ) ¯¯ x3 − x03 x3 + x03 ¯
¯
0 ¯ =− 3/2
+ ¯
3/2 ¯
,
∂x3 0
x3 =0
0 2 0 2 0 2
((x1 − x1 ) + (x2 − x2 ) + (x3 − x3 ) ) 0 2 0 2 0 2
((x1 − x1 ) + (x2 − x2 ) + (x3 + x3 ) ) 0
x =03

2x3
=− 3/2
.
((x1 − x01 )2 + (x2 − x02 )2 + x23 )
Later, we will see that the n0 -direction should coincide with −x03 so that the potential
at the surface is positive; this is identical to inserting the seemingly spurious minus
sign in the above calculation.
 4 JACOB LEWIS BOURJAILY

We can now compute the potential. Using our work above, it is clear that
Z
1 ∂G(x, x0 ) 0
ϕ(ρ, φ, z) = − ϕ(x0 ) da ,
4π ∂½R3 ∂n0
Z 2πZ a
1 2zρ0 dρ0 dφ0
= V ,
4π 0 0 ((ρ cos φ − ρ0 cos φ0 )2 + (ρ sin φ − ρ0 sin φ0 )2 + z 2 )3/2
Z 2πZ a
zV ρ0 dρ0 dφ
∴ ϕ(ρ, φ, z) =
2π 0 0 (ρ2 + ρ02 − 2ρρ0 cos(φ − φ0 ) + z 2 )3/2

c) Let us compute the potential along the line ρ = 0.

Using our work above, we may compute the potential directly.
Z 2πZ a 0 0 0
zV ρ dρ dφ
ϕ(0, 0, z) = ,
2π 0 0 (ρ + z 2 )3/2
02
Z a2 +z2
zV du
= ,
2 z2 u3/2
¯a2 +z2
1 ¯¯
= −zV √ ¯ ,
u z2
µ ¶
1 1
= −zV √ − ,
a2 + z 2 z
µ ¶
z
∴ ϕ(0, 0, z) = V 1 − √ .
a2 + z 2

d) We are to explicitly compute the potential by expanding its expression in the limit where ρ2 +
z 2 >> a2 .
Let us define the variable η 2 ≡ ρ2 + z 2 . In general, we can rewrite the potential derived
above as
Z 2πZ a
zV ρ0 dρ0 dφ0
ϕ(ρ, φ, z) = .
2πη 3 0 0 (1 + η −2 (ρ02 − 2ρρ0 cos(φ − φ0 )))3/2
Let us Taylor expand the integrand to O(η −4 ). We see that
µ ¶
ρ0 0 3 −2 ¡ 02 0 0
¢ 15 −4 ¡ 02 0
¢
0 2 −6
3/2
=ρ 1− η ρ − 2ρρ cos(φ − φ ) + η ρ − 2ρρ cos(φ − φ ) + O(η ) .
(1 + η −2 (ρ02 − 2ρρ0 cos(φ − φ0 ))) 2 8
When we integrate over the angle φ0 , all terms independent of φ0 will be multiplied
by a factor of 2π, those directly proportional to cos(φ − φ0 ) will integrate to zero,
and the term proportional to cos2 (φ − φ0 ) will obtain a factor of π. Therefore,
Z 2πZ a
zV ρ0 dρ0 dφ0
ϕ(ρ, φ, z) = ,
2πη 3 0 0 (1 + η −2 (ρ02 − 2ρρ0 cos(φ − φ0 )))3/2
Z 2πZ a µ ¶
zV 0 0 0 3 −2 ¡ 02 0 0
¢ 15 −4 ¡ 02 0
¢
0 2 −6
= dρ dφ ρ 1 − η ρ − 2ρρ cos(φ − φ ) + η ρ − 2ρρ cos(φ − φ ) + O(η ) ,
2πη 3 0 0 2 8
Z a µ ¶
zV 3 15 15
= dρ0 ρ0 1 − η −2 ρ02 + η −4 ρ02 + η −4 ρ04 + O(η −6 ) ,
η3 0 2 4 8
µ 02 ¶¯a
zV ρ 3ρ 04 04 2
15ρ ρ 5ρ 06 ¯
= 3
− 2 + 4
+ 4
+ O(η ) ¯¯ ,
−6
η 2 8η 16η 16η
µ ¶ 0
zV a2 3a2 5(3ρ2 a2 + a4 )
= 1− 2 + + O(η −6 ) .
2η 3 4η 8η 4
Substituting the definition of η, we arrive at the desired expression:
µ ¶
zV a2 3a2 5(3ρ2 a2 + a4 ) 2 2 −6
∴ ϕ(ρ, φ, z) = 1− + + O((ρ + z ) ) .
2(ρ2 + z 2 )3/2 4(ρ2 + z 2 ) 8(ρ2 + z 2 )2