Problem Set 2 Solution

Phys 182 - Fall 2010

Assigned: Friday, Sept. 10 Due: Friday, Sept. 17

1 Griffiths 2.15

(i) Qenc = 0 , so E = 0

I
Qenc
(ii) E · da =
ǫ0
1
Z
E · (4πr2 ) = ρdτ
ǫ0
1 k 2
Z
= r sin θdrdθdφ
ǫ0 r2
4πk r
Z
= dr
ǫ0 a
4πk
= (r − a)
ǫ0
 
k r−a
Ẽ = r̂
ǫ0 r2

4πk b
Z
2
(iii) E · (4πr ) = dr
ǫ0 a
4πk
= (b − a)
ǫ0
 
k b−a
Ẽ = r̂
ǫ0 r2

1
2 Griffiths 2.18

I
Qenc
E · da =
ǫ0
2 1 4 3
E · (4πr ) = πr ρ
ǫ0 3
ρ
Ẽ = r̃
3ǫ0

ρ
So Ẽtotal = (r̃+ − r̃− )
3ǫ0
ρ
= d̃
3ǫ0

3 Griffiths 2.20

x̂ ŷ ẑ
∂ ∂ ∂
(1) ∇ × E1 = k = k[x̂(0 − 2y) + ŷ(0 − 3z) + ẑ(0 − x)] 6= 0
∂x ∂y ∂z
xy 2yz 3zx

So E1 is an impossible electrostatic field.

x̂ ŷ ẑ
∂ ∂ ∂
(2) ∇ × E2 = k = k[x̂(2z − 2z) + ŷ(0 − 0) + ẑ(2y − 2y)] = 0
∂x ∂y ∂z
y2 2xy + z 2 2yz

So E2 is a possible electrostatic field.

Going along the indicated path:R

Part I: y = z = 0, dy = dz = 0, I E · dl = ky 2 dx = 0.
Ry
Part II: x = x0 , z = 0, dx = dz = 0, II E · dl = 2kx0 0 0 ydy = kx0 y02 .
R
Rz
Part III: x = x0 , y = y0 , dx = dy = 0, III E · dl = 2ky0 0 0 zdz = ky0 z02 .
R

Z (x0 ,y0 ,z0 )

V (x0 , y0 , z0 ) = − E · dl
0
= −k(x0 y02 + y0 z02 )
V (x, y, z) = −k(xy 2 + yz 2 )

2
4 Griffiths 2.21

1 q

r > R: E = r̂

r 
4πǫ0 r2
Z
V (r) = − E · dl
1 qr
∞ r < R: E = r̂


4πǫ0 R3
Z r   r
1 q q 1
So for r > R : V (r) = − 2
dr =
∞ 4πǫ 0 r 4πǫ 0 r ∞
q 1
=
4πǫ0 r
Z R  Z r 
1 q 1 qr
and for r < R : V (r) = − dr − dr
∞ 4πǫ0 r2 R 4πǫ0 R3
1 r 2 − R2
  
q 1
= − 3
4πǫ0 R R 2
2
 
q 1 r
= 3− 2
4πǫ0 2R R
 
q ∂ 1 q 1
When r > R , ∇V = r̂ = − r̂
4πǫ0 ∂r r 4πǫ0 r2
q 1
so, E = −∇V = r̂
4πǫ0 r2
r2
   
q 1 ∂ q 1 −2r q r
When r < R , ∇V = 3 − 2 r̂ = r̂ = − r̂
4πǫ0 2R ∂r R 4πǫ0 2R R2 4πǫ0 R3
q r
so, E = −∇V = r̂
4πǫ0 R3

5 Griffiths 2.23

Z 0
V (0) = − E · dl
∞
Z b  Z a   Z 0
k (b − a) k (r − a)
=− dr − y dr − 0dr
ǫ0 r 2 ǫ0 r 2
∞
   b   a
k (b − a) k a 1 1
= − ln +a −
ǫ0 b ǫ0 b a b
 
k b
= ln
ǫ0 a

6 Griffiths 2.25

1 2q
a) V = q
4πǫ0 z 2 + d


2

3
 L
1
Z iL
λdx λ h p
b) V = √ = ln x + z 2 + x2
4πǫ0 −L z 2 + x2 4πǫ0 −L
" √ #
λ L+ z +L 2 2
= ln √
4πǫ0 −L + z 2 + L2

R
1 2πσ p 2
Z
σ2πrdr R σ p 2 
c) V = √ = r + z2 0
= R + z2 − z
4πǫ0 0 r2 + z 2 4πǫ0 2ǫ0
∂V ∂V ∂V
In each case the symmetries give = = 0, so Ẽ = − ẑ.
∂x ∂y ∂z
 
1 1 2z 1 2qz
a) Ẽ = − 2q −  23 ẑ = 4πǫ  ẑ
4πǫ0 2  2 d

2 0
3
d 2 2
z + 2 2
z + 2

 
1 1 1 z
b) Ẽ = − √ − √ √ ẑ
4πǫ0 L + z 2 + L2 −L + z 2 + L2 z 2 + L2
 
1 −2L z
=− √ ẑ
4πǫ0 z2 z 2 + L2
2Lλ 1
= √ ẑ
4πǫ0 z z + L2
2

 
σ z
c) Ẽ = − √ − 1 ẑ
2ǫ0 R2 + z 2
 
σ z
= 1− √ ẑ
2ǫ0 R2 + z 2
If the right-hand charge in (a) is −q, then V = 0, which suggests that Ẽ = −∇V = 0. The point is that
∂V ∂V
we only know V on the z axis, and from this we cannot compute Ex = − or Ey = − . In part (a)
∂x ∂y
we knew from symmetry that Ex = Ey = 0, but this would no longer be the case. Now Ẽ points in the x
direction, so knowing V on the z axis is insufficient to determine Ẽ.

7 Griffiths 2.32
   
1 ρ r2 1 q r2
R2 −
R
a) W = 2 ρV dτ . From Griffiths 2.21: V = 2ǫ0 3 = 4πǫ0 2R 3− R2

Z R
r2

ρ 1 q
W = 3 − 2 4πr2 dr
2 4πǫ0 2R 0 R
5 R
 3 
qρ r 1 r
= 3 − 2
4ǫ0 R 3 R 5 0
3
 
qρ R
= R3 −
4ǫ0 R 5
 2
qρ 2 1 3q
= R =
5ǫ0 4πǫ0 5 R

4
 ǫ0 1 q 1 qr
E 2 dτ . For r > R, Ẽ =
R
b) W = 2 4πǫ0 r 2 r̂; For r < R, Ẽ = 4πǫ0 R3 r̂.
"Z Z R  2 #
ǫ0 q 2 ∞
1 r
W = (4πr2 dr) + (4πr2 dr)
2 (4πǫ0 )2 R r4 0 R3
 R !
1 q2 1 r5
 ∞
1
= − + 6
4πǫ0 2 r R R 5 0
2
1 3 q2
 
1 q 1 1
= + =
4πǫ0 2 R 5R 4πǫ0 5 R

c) W = ǫ20 S V E · da + V E 2 dτ , where V is large enough to enclose all the charge but otherwise arbitrary.
H R
1 q
Use a sphere of radius a > R, V = 4πǫ 0 r
.
"Z 2 2 #
   R  a 
1 q 1 q 1 qr 1 q
Z Z
ǫ0
W = r2 sin θdθdφ + (4πr2 dr) + (4πr2 dr)
2 r=a 4πǫ0 r 4πǫ0 r2 0 4πǫ0 R3 R 4πǫ0 r2
a 
4πq 2 1 4πq 2 1 4πq 2
 
ǫ0 1
= + + −
2 (4πǫ0 )2 a (4πǫ0 )2 5R (4πǫ0 )2 r R
2 2
 
1 q 1 1 1 1 1 3q
= + − + =
4πǫ0 2 a 5R a R 4πǫ0 5 R

As a → ∞, the contribution from the surface integral goes to zero, while the volume integral picks up the
slack.

8 Griffiths 2.35

q −q q
a) σR = 2
; σa = 2
; σb =
4πR 4πa 4πb2

0 b   a R   0
1 q 1 q
Z Z Z Z Z
b) V (0) = − E · dl = − dr − (0)dr − dr − (0)dr
∞ ∞ 4πǫ0 r2 b a 4πǫ0 r2 R
1 q q q
= + −
4πǫ0 b R a

a R   0
1 q
Z Z Z
c) σb → 0 ; V (0) = − (0)dr − dr − (0)dr
∞ a 4πǫ0 r2 R
1 q q
= −
4πǫ0 R a

9 Griffiths 2.36

−qa −qb qa + qb
a) σa = ; σb = ; σR =
4πa2 4πb2 4πR2

5
 1 qa + qb
b) Eout = r̂ , where r = vector from center of large sphere.
4πǫ0 r2

1 qa 1 qb
c) Ea = rˆa , Eb = rˆb
2
4πǫ0 ra 4πǫ0 rb2

d) Zero.

e) σR changes (but not σa or σb ); Eoutside changes (but not Ea or Eb ); force on qa and qb still zero.

10 Griffiths 2.39

Say the charge on the inner cylinder be Q, for a length L. By Gauss’ Law:
1
Z
Q
E · da = E · 2πs · L = Qenc =
ǫ0 ǫ0
Q 1
E= ŝ
2πǫ0 L s
Potential difference between the cylinders is:
b b  
1
Z Z
Q Q b
V (b) − V (a) = − E · dl = − ds = − ln
a 2πǫ0 L a s 2πǫ0 L a
Q b


As set up here, a is at the higher potential, so V = V (a) − V (b) = 2πǫ0 L ln a .

Q 2πǫ0 L C 2πǫ0
C= =
, so capacitance per unit length is: =
ln ab ln ab


V L

11 Griffiths 2.40

ǫ0 2
a) W = (force) × (distance) = (pressure) × (area) × (distance) = E Aǫ
2

E2
 
b) W = (energy per unit volume) × (decrease in volume) = ǫ0 (Aǫ)
2

Both a) and b) are equal, confirming that the energy lost is equal to the work done.