PH 206: Electromagnetic Theory

Homework 6 (Faraday’s Law and Maxwell’s Equations)

1. A magnetic dipole m falls with a constant velocity along the symmetry axis of a circular loop of

wire of radius a and conductivity σ. Calculate the current induced in the wire and the force on the

dipole due to the current.

2. (Griffiths Prob. 7.20) A small loop of wire (radius a) lies a distance z above the center of a large

loop (radius b) as shown in Fig. 7.36. The planes of the two loops are parallel, and perpendicular to

the common axis.

(a) Suppose current I flows in the big loop. Find the flux through the little loop. (The little loop

is so small that you may consider the field of the big loop to be essentially constant.)

(b) Same as (a), but the current now flows in the little loop (The little loop is so small that you

may treat it as a magnetic dipole.)

(c) Find the mutual inductances and confirm that M12 = M21 .

3. Prove the von Neumann formula for the mutual inductance i.e.

dl1 · dl2
I I
µ0
M12 = ,
4π |r1 − r2 |

and use it to verify the mutual inductance obtained above in Prob. 2(c).

4. (Jackson Prob. 6.5(a)) A localized electric charge distribution produces an electric field E = −∇Φ.

Into this field is placed a small localized time-independent current density J(r), which generates a

magnetic field H(r). Show that the momentum of these electromagnetic fields can be transformed

to
Z
1
Pem = 2 d3 r0 Φ(r)J(r),
c

1
 provided the product Φ(r)H falls off rapidly enough at large distances. How rapidly is “rapidly

enough”?

5. (Prob. 6.7(a)) A transverse plane wave is incident normally in vacuum on a perfectly absorbing flat

screen. From the law of conservation of linear momentum, show that the pressure (called radiation

pressure) exerted on the screen is equal to the field energy per unit volume in the wave.

6. (Griffiths Prob. 7.45) A perfectly conducting spherical shell of radius a placed in a uniform magnetic

field B = B0 ẑ rotates about the z axis with a constant angular velocity ω. Calculate the emf

developed between the “north pole” and the equator. with a uniform angular velocity ω in a