Griffiths Electrodynamics 4e: Problem 2.

4 Page 1 of 5

Problem 2.4
Find the electric field a distance z above the center of a square loop (side a) carrying uniform line
charge λ (Fig. 2.8). [Hint: Use the result of Ex. 2.2.]

Solution

Start by drawing a schematic for some point on the square loop.

The formula for the electric field from a continuous distribution of charge along a line is
 
λ(r′ ) λ(r′ ) r − r′
 
1 ′ 1
E= r̂r dl = dl′
4πϵ0 r2 4πϵ0 |r − r′ |2 |r − r′ |

1 λ(r′ )
= (r − r′ ) dl′ ,
4πϵ0 |r − r′ |3

where the integral is taken over the line where the charge exists. Note that r is the position
vector to where we want to know the electric field, r′ is the position vector to the point we chose
on the line, and r = |r − r′ | is the distance from the point we chose on the line to where we want
to know the electric field. Split up the loop into the four straight line segments, L′1 and L′2 and L′3
and L′4 , shown below.

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Griffiths Electrodynamics 4e: Problem 2.4 Page 2 of 5

The parameterizations for these lines are as follows.

Da E a a
On L′1 : r′ = , t, 0 , − ≤t≤
2 2 2
D a E a a
On L′2 : r′ = t, , 0 , − ≤t≤
2 2 2
D a E a a
On L′3 : r′ = − , t, 0 , − ≤t≤
2 2 2
D a E a a
On L′4 : r′ = t, − , 0 , − ≤t≤
2 2 2
Consequently, the electric field at r = ⟨0, 0, z⟩ is
   
 
1  λ(r′ ) λ(r′ ) λ(r′ ) λ(r′ )
E= (r − r′ ) dy ′ + (r − r′ ) dx′ + (r − r′ ) dy ′ + (r − r′ ) dx′ 

4πϵ0 |r − r′ |3 |r − r′ |3 |r − r′ |3 |r − r′ |3

L′1 L′2 L′3 L′4



1  λ ′ ′ ′
= i3 (⟨0, 0, z⟩ − ⟨x , y , 0⟩) dy
4πϵ0
 hp
′ 2 ′ 2
(0 − x ) + (0 − y ) + (z − 0)2
L′1

λ ′ ′ ′
+ hp i3 (⟨0, 0, z⟩ − ⟨x , y , 0⟩) dx
L′2 (0 − x′ )2 + (0 − y ′ )2 + (z − 0)2

λ ′ ′ ′
+ hp i3 (⟨0, 0, z⟩ − ⟨x , y , 0⟩) dy
′ 2 ′ 2
(0 − x ) + (0 − y ) + (z − 0)2
L′3



λ ′ ′ ′
+ hp i3 (⟨0, 0, z⟩ − ⟨x , y , 0⟩) dx 
L′4 (0 − x′ )2 + (0 − y ′ )2 + (z − 0)2




1  a/2 λ  Da E dy ′
= 3 ⟨0, 0, z⟩ − , t, 0 dt
4πϵ0  2 dt
q
−a/2 2
0 − a2 + (0 − t)2 + (z − 0)2





 a/2 D a E dx′
λ 
+ 3 ⟨0, 0, z⟩ − t, , 0 dt
2 dt
q
−a/2 2 a 2


2
(0 − t) + 0 − 2 + (z − 0)

 a/2 E dy ′
λ  D a
+ 3 ⟨0, 0, z⟩ − − , t, 0 dt
2 dt
q
−a/2 a 2


0+ 2 + (0 − t)2 + (z − 0)2




a/2 ′

λ  D a E dx 
+ 3 ⟨0, 0, z⟩ − t, − , 0 dt .
2 dt 
q
−a/2 2 a 2


2
(0 − t) + 0 + 2 + (z − 0)




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Griffiths Electrodynamics 4e: Problem 2.4 Page 3 of 5

Simplify the integrands, combine the integrals, add the vectors, and then integrate the
components.

  a/2

λ  a/2 1 D a E 1 D a E
E= 3/2
− , −t, z (1) dt + 3/2
−t, − , z (1) dt
4πϵ0 2 2
    
−a/2 a2 2 + z2 −a/2 2 + a2 + z 2
4 + t t 4

 

a/2 a/2
1 Da E 1 D a E
+ , −t, z (1) dt + 3/2 −t, 2 , z (1) dt

 3/2 2 
−a/2 a2 −a/2 a2
4 + t2 + z 2 t2 + 4 +z 2


 
a/2
λ  1 D a E D a E D a E D a E
= − , −t, z + −t, − , z + , −t, z + −t, , z dt

4πϵ0
  3/2 2 2 2 2
−a/2 a2
t2 + 4 + z2
 a/2
λ 1
=
4πϵ0  3/2 ⟨−2t, −2t, 4z⟩ dt
−a/2 a2
t2 + 4 + z2
*   +
a/2 a/2 a/2
λ −2t dt −2t dt 4z dt
= 3/2 , 3/2 , 3/2
4πϵ0 −a/2

a2 −a/2

a2 −a/2

a2
t2 + 4 + z2 t2 + 4 + z2 t2 + 4 + z2

The first two integrals are zero because the integration interval is symmetric and the integrands
are odd functions. The third integral can be made to go from 0 to a/2 by putting a factor of 2 in
front because the integrand is an even function.
*  a/2 +
λ 4z dt
E= 0, 0, 2 3/2
4πϵ0 
2
0
t2 + a4 + z 2
 a/2
λ dt
= ⟨0, 0, 1⟩8z 3/2
4πϵ0 0

a2
t2 + 4 + z2
 a/2
2λz dt
= ẑ 3/2
πϵ0 0

a2
t2 + 4 + z2

Make the following substitution.

r
a2
 2  2
a2
 
a a
t= + z 2 tan θ → t2 + + z2 = + z 2 (tan2 θ + 1) = + z 2 sec2 θ
4 4 4 4
r
a2
dt = + z 2 sec2 θ dθ
4

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Griffiths Electrodynamics 4e: Problem 2.4 Page 4 of 5

As a result,
 


a/2
tan−1  r
q
a2
+ z 2 sec2 θ dθ

a2 +z 2
2λz 4 4
E= ẑ   i3/2
πϵ0 h
a2

tan−1  r 0 
4 + z 2 sec2 θ
a2 +z 2
4


  q
a2
2λz tan−1 √ a
a2 +4z 2 4 + z 2 sec2 θ dθ
= ẑ 3/2
πϵ0 0

a2
4 + z2 sec3 θ


 
a
tan−1 √
2λz ẑ a2 +4z 2
= a2
cos θ dθ
πϵ0 + z2 0
4
 
a
tan−1 √
2λz ẑ a2 +4z 2
= a2
sin θ
πϵ0 + z2
4 0
 
8λz ẑ −1 a
= sin tan √ .
πϵ0 a2 + 4z 2 a2 + 4z 2
 √ 
Draw the triangle implied by α = tan−1 a/ a2 + 4z 2 and use it to determine sin α.

a
sin α = √
2a2 + 4z 2
Therefore, the electric field at r = ⟨0, 0, z⟩ is
 
8λz ẑ a
E= √ .
πϵ0 a2 + 4z 2 2a + 4z 2
2

Observe that
  !
8λz ẑ a 8λz ẑ 0
lim E = lim √ = =0
a→0 πϵ0 a2 + 4z 2 πϵ0 (0)2 + 4z 2
p
a→0 2a + 4z 2
2 2(0)2 + 4z 2
  !
8λz ẑ a 8λ(0) ẑ a
lim E = lim √ = = 0.
z→0 πϵ0 a + 4z 2
2 πϵ0 a + 4(0)2
2
p
z→0 2a + 4z 2
2 2a2 + 4(0)2

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Griffiths Electrodynamics 4e: Problem 2.4 Page 5 of 5

In order to see what happens if z ≫ a, rewrite the formula so that each term is a ratio of a and z,
z being in the denominator, and use the binomial theorem.
 
8λz ẑ a
E=   q 
πϵ0 4z 2 a2
+1 2z a2
+1
4z 2 2z 2
−1/2
a2

λaẑ 1
= 2
  1+ 2
πϵ0 z 1 − − a2 2z
4z 2
"∞  ∞
k # "X  2 k #
Γ − 12 + 1


λaẑ X a2 a
= − 2 1
πϵ0 z 2 2


4z Γ(k + 1)Γ − 2 − k + 1 2z
k=0 k=0

∞  ∞
" k # "X k #
Γ 12


a2 a2

λaẑ X
= − 2 1
πϵ0 z 2 2z 2


4z Γ(k + 1)Γ 2 −k
k=0 k=0
" 0 1  2 #
a2 a2 a2

λaẑ
= − 2 + − 2 + − 2 + ···
πϵ0 z 2 4z 4z 4z
" 0 2 1  2 2 #
Γ 12 Γ 21 Γ 12




a2

a a
× 1 + + + ···
Γ(2)Γ − 12
2z 2 2z 2 Γ(3)Γ − 32 2z 2




Γ(1)Γ
2

a2 a4 1 a2 3 a4
      
λaẑ
= 1− 2 + − ··· 1− + − ···
πϵ0 z 2 4z 16z 4 2 2z 2 8 4z 4
a2 7a4
 
λaẑ
= 1− 2 + − ···
πϵ0 z 2 2z 32z 4
a2 7a4
   
Q aẑ
= 1− 2 + − ···
4a πϵ0 z 2 2z 32z 4
a2 7a4
 
Qẑ
= 1− 2 + − ···
4πϵ0 z 2 2z 32z 4

If z ≫ a, then a2 /z 2 and all higher-order terms are so much smaller than 1 that they can be
neglected.
Qẑ 1 Q
E≈ 2
= ẑ
4πϵ0 z 4πϵ0 z 2
The lesson is that far away from the square loop the electric field is the same as if it were a point
charge.

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