Home Work 2

January 13, 2023

1. (a) Z 2
dx(2x + 3)δ(3x)
−2

Using the identity of the Delta function δ(ax) = |a| δ(x)

1

1
δ(3x) = δ(x)
3
Thus,
2
2(0) + 3
Z
1
dx(2x + 3)δ(x) = =1 (1)
3 −2 3
(b)
Z 2
dx(x3 + 3x + 1)δ(1 − x),
0

where δ[−(x − 1)] = δ(x − 1). Thus

Z 2
dx(x3 + 3x + 1)δ(x − 1) = (1)3 + 3(1) + 1 = 5
0

(c)
Z a
dxδ(x − b)
−∞

We know
Z
δ(x − b) = θ(x − b) + constant,

where θ(x) is the Heaviside step function. Thus


Z a 
 1 if b≤a
dxδ(x − b) = 



−∞  0

otherwise

for a  R
Z a
dxδ(x − b) = θ(x − b)|a−∞ = θ(a − b)
−∞

1
(d)
Z
d3 r(r cos θ − 1)

where
d3 r = r2 sin θdrdθdϕ;
r ≥ 0;
0 ≤ θ ≤ π;
0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 2π. Thus
Z 2π Z π Z r "Z π Z r #
[r cos θ − 1] r sin θdrdθdϕ = 2π
2
[r cos θ − 1] r sin θdrdθ
2
0 0 0 0 0
Z π : 0Z r Z π
Z r 
 
= 2π   θ sin θdθ − sin θdθ
 3 2

 r dr cos   r dr
0  0 0 0
"Z r Z π 3 Z π
r3 r3
# ! ! !
r
= −2π r2 dr sin θdθ = −2π sin θdθ = −2π [− cos θ]π0 = −2π (1 + 1)
0 0 3 0 3 3

Therefore
Z
4
d3 r(r cos θ − 1) = − πr3
3

2
2. (a) q1 = q2 = q

→
−r 0 = x0 î + y0 ĵ + z0 k̂
1 1 1 1
→
−r 0 = x0 î + y0 ĵ + z0 k̂
2 2 2 2
→
−r = xî + yĵ + zk̂

Thus
→−r − →
−r 0 = (x − x0 )î + (y − y0 )ĵ + (z − z0 )k̂ −→
1 1 1 1
→ q
−r − →
−r 0  = (x − x0 )2 + (y − y0 )2 + (z − z0 )2

1 1 1 1

For this problem → −r 0 = d î and →

−r = zk̂, →
1 2
−r 0 = − d î. Then
2 2

→ −r 0 = − d î + zk̂
−r − →
1
2
→ −r 0 = d î + zk̂
−r − →
2
2
s
!2
→ d
−r − →
−r 0  = →
1
−r − →
−r 0  =
2 + z2
2
We can find the potential field using
2
 
1 X qi q 1 1
ϕ(→
−r ) =  = −r 0  + →
 
→
− →− →
−r − → −r 0   −→
−r − →
  
4π0 i=1  r − r i0  4π0
1 2
−r ) = 1
ϕ(→
2q
q
4π0  d 2
2 + z2

(b) Analogously we can find the potential field using q1 = −q2

2
 
→
− 1 X qi q  1 1
ϕ( r ) = =

−
4π0 i=1 −r − →
→ −r 0  4π0 →
 
 −r − →
−r 0  →
 −r − →
−r 0  
 
i 1 2
→
− →
−  →
− →
− 
Since  r − r 1  =  r − r 2 , then
0 0

ϕ(→
−r ) = 0

3
(c) Case a: For this case we can calculate the electric field by multiple ways
→− − →−
• By simmetry it is evident that E(→r ) only has component in k̂. | E | and 1

→−
| E 2 | have equal magnitud hence horizontal components cancel and the
vertical components combine, so
→−
Ez = 2| E| cos θ

where
→
− 1 q 1 q
E= 2 =
4π0 →
− → −
  2 
0
r − r  4π 0 d
+ z2 2

and cos θ = q z
, thus
( d2 )2 +z2
2 qz
E2 =  32
4π0  d 2
2 + z2

→
− 2 qz
E=  32 k̂
4π0  d 2
2 +z2

→
− →
−
• Due to the simmetry of the problem we can find E calculating E =
→
−
− ∇ϕ
   
   
→
− →−  1 2q 2q →
−  1
E = − ∇   = −
 
q  ∇  q  
 4π0 d 2
+ z 2
 4π0  d 2
+ z 2

2 2
  !
2
− 32 
2q   d
=− + z2  zk̂ −→
 
− 
4π0 2
→
− 1 2qz
E=  32 k̂
4π0  d 2
2 +z 2

4
 We obtain the same result from part 1.
→− − →
→ −
Case b: In this case we cannot find E using E = . ∇ϕ because we only
know ϕ(→ −r ) on the z axis. That was fine in the case a because we knew
from simmetry that E x = E y = 0 so, Knowing ϕ(→
−r ) on the z axis is
→− →
−  →
− 
insufficient to determine E  E 1  and  E 1  have equal magnitude, hence

vertical components cancel and horizontal components combine

→
− 
E x = 2  E  sin θ
→
−  d
q
where  E  = 1
4π0 d 2
and sin θ = q 2
. Thus
( )
2 +z2 d 2
( ) +z2
2

1 q d
Ex = −→
4π0  d 2 + z2  d 2
q
2 2 + z2
→
− 1 qd
E=  23 î
4π0  d 2
2 + z2

3. ρ = k
r in the region a ≤ r ≤ b To fin the electric fields in the regions we will

Gauss’s law

→
− Qenc
E · n̂da =
S 0
(a) r < a: In this case is evident Qenc = 0 if we consider a Gaussian sirface
→− → −
with r < a. Hence E = 0 for r < a.

5
(b) a ≤ r ≤ b: For this case we consider a Gaussian surface with radius r where
a ≤ r ≤ b.
Right hand:
Z Z
k 02
Qenc = ρd3 x = 0
r sin θdr0 dθdϕ −→
v v r
Z r Z π Z 2π r
r02 
=k dr 0
sin θdθ dϕ =  (4π) −→
a 0 0 2 a
kh 2 i
Qenc = r − a2 aπ
2
Left-hand:
 
→
− → →
−
E · d−a =  E  da
S S

→−
It is because E is parallel to →
−a in each point on the Gaussian surface. And,
→
− 
since the charge is distributed with a given dependence  E  is uniform for
the sphere with radius r, then
 
→
− → →
−  →
−  →
−  
E · d−a =

E
  da =  E
  da =  E  4πr2
S S S
→
−  h i
Thus  E  4πr2 = k
20 r2 − a2 4π, then
"  a 2 #
→
− k
E= 1− r̂
20 r

(c) r > b: We consider a Gaussian surfice with r > b such that enclosed charge
is
Z Z b Z π Z 2π
k 02
Qenc = ρd3 x = r sin θdθdϕ −→
a 0 0 r0
kh 2 i
Qenc = b − a2 4π
2
 → − − → − 
Analogously S E · d→ a =  E  4πr2 . Hence
→
− 1 kh 2
 i
E  4πr2 = b − a2 4π −→
0 2
→
− k h 2 i
E= b − a2 r̂
20

6
4. (a) We can use the method of images to solve this problem. We consider uni-
form line charge, −λ, placed on a straight wire running parallel to the first
infinite straight wire, a distance d below the origen, in order to the condi-
tion ϕ(z = 0) is satisfied.

Thus, the potential in P(x, y, z) will be ϕ(→

−r ) = ϕ + ϕ (superposition
+λ −λ
principle).
Therefore, we can use Gaussś law to calculate the electric field which also
→−
obey the superposition principle, and from E, calculate the potential of
each wire

I
→
− → →
−  qenc
E · d−a =  E  2πrl =
0
where Qenc = λl, then
→
− λ
E= r̂
2π0 r
R B→
− → −
Using A
E · d l = − (ϕB − ϕA ). We set a point r = a, such that
Z r
→
− 1 2λ 0 1 r
ϕ+λ ( r ) = − 0
dr = − 2λ ln
a 4π0 r 4π0 a
It is clear why a = 0 or a = ∞ would be not a good for this case. Now
considering the main problem we have that
"  r # " 1  r #
1 + −
ϕ = ϕ+λ + ϕ−λ = − 2λ ln + 2λ ln
4π0 a 4π0 a
λ r2
! !
1 r−
= 2λ ln = ln −2
4π0 r+ 4π0 r+

7
 Where r−2 = y2 + (z + d)2 , and r+2 = y2 + (z − d)2

(b) In terms of potential, we can calculate the surface charge on a conductor if

I know V
∂V
σ = −0
∂r
∂V 

In this case we have σ = −0 ∂Z z=0

λ ∂
!#
r−2 
"
σ = −0 ln 2 
4π0 ∂z r+ z=0
λ 1
" #
1
=− +

2(z d) − 2(z − d)
4π r−2 r+2

z=0
λd 2 λd
" #
=− =−
2π y2 d2 π y2 + d2