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PHY 121

Electromagnetic Theory
Problem Set - 1

Assigned Date: Jan 8


Due Date: Jan 13

This problem set is due at 5 : 00 PM on Jan 13. Do not consult any online material. Working with
your classmates is encouraged! But you should only hand in work that youve completed on your
own. If you cant explain each step of your solution then you havent completed the problem on your
own. Remember: the only way to be ready for the exams is to do the assignment yourself.
1. (10 points) Calculate the curl and the divergence of each of the following vector fields. If the
curl turns out to be zero, try to discover a scalar function of which the vector field is a gradient.
(i). F = (x + y, x + y, 2z)
(ii). G = (2y, 2x + 3z, 3y)
(iii). H = (x2 z 2 , 2, 2xz)

F = 0, F = 2
z
G = 0, G = 0.
Since G = 0, there exists an f such that G = f . Integrating, we find f = 2xy+3yz.
H = 4x, H = 4z y
2. (10 points) The electric field equals the negative gradient of the potential, that is, E = .
Show that this implies that the curl of E is zero. Do this by making judicious use of Stokes
theorem.
Consider S, a surface enclosed by a closed curve C. By Stokes theorem,
ZZ
I
I
( ) n
dS =
dr =
d = 0,
S

which is true for any surface element S. Hence curl E = 0


3. (5 points) Calculate the ratio of electrostatic to gravitational interaction forces between two
electrons, and between two protons. At what value of the specific charge q/m of a particle would
these forces become equal (in their absolute values) in the case of interaction of identical particles?
Similar to (c) of Question-8.
4. (10 points) A point charge Q1 = +3C is placed at the origin, and a point charge Q2 = 7C
is placed at x = 0.3 m on the x-axis of a Cartesian co-ordinate system.
(a) Determine the electric field, E(x) x, at all points on the x-axis.
(b) Plot E(x) vs. x for x < 0.

(c) At what points, if any, (apart from |x| = ) is E(x) = 0 ?


Electric field E1 due to Q1 alone =

1 Q1
Q1 x
r =
x
2
40 r
40 |x|3

Similarly,
E2 =
6

E=

Q2 1 x 0.3
x
40 |x 0.3|3

"

x
x 0.3
10
3 3 7
x
40
|x|
|x 0.3|3

5. (15 points) A thin disk of radius R carries a uniform surface density . The z-axis passes through
the center O. The total charge, Q, on the disk is thus Q = R2 .

~ (magnitude and direction) at a point p a distance z above the


(a) What is the electric field, E
center of the disk?
(b) Plot E(z) as a function of z for all positive zs. Use R as your unit on the abscissa and
Q
as your unit for E(z).
40 R2
(c) Using the binomial expansion, find simplified expressions for E(z) in two limiting cases
i. z  R
ii. z  R
(d) Compare your result in (ii) with the result you obtain effortlessly by making use of Coulombs
Law for a point-like charge.

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The electric field for a ring is


Ering =

qz
1
z
40 (z 2 + r2 ) 23

. The disk can be broken up into rings and the fields added up. (See Figure below)
Qz
1
dq z
r dr

3 = z
2
40 (z 2 + r2 ) 2
20 R (z 2 + r2 ) 23
"
#
Z
Z R
Qz
r dr
Qz
1
1
E = dE = z
= z

20 R2 0 (z 2 + r2 ) 23
20 R2 |z|
z 2 + R2
"
#
Q
z/R
E(z) = z
1 p
20 R2
1 + (z/R)2
dE = z

Using the binomial expansion,


"
#
Q
1 (z/R)(1 (1/2)(z/R)2 )
E(z) = z
20 R2
For z 2  R2 ,
E(z) = z

Q
20 R2

For z 2  R2 ,
"
#
1
Q
Q 1
1 p
,
E(z) z
z
2
20 R
40 z 2
(R/z)2 + 1
which looks like the expression for Coulombs Law.

6. (5 points) Is the configuration of an electric field shown in the figure below possible or not ?
Give proper justification.

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No, it is not possible. Consider two horizontal segments of equal length. The figure
shows that the contributions to the circulation from these regions are opposite in sign,
and unequal in magnitude (the contribution from the upper segment is larger since the
field lines are denser, and hence the value of E is larger). Hence curl E differs from zero
and hence such a configuration is not possible.
7. (10 points) In the classical model of the hydrogen atom, the electron revolves around the proton
with a radius of r = 0.53 1010 m. The magnitude of the charge of the electron and proton is
e = 1.6 1019 C.
(a) What is the magnitude of the electric force between the proton and the electron?
(b) What is the magnitude of the electric field due to the proton at r?
(c) What is ratio of the magnitudes of the electrical and gravitational force between electron
and proton? Does the result depend on the distance between the proton and the electron?
(d) In light of your calculation in (b), explain why electrical forces do not influence the motion
of planets.
F =

1 e2
40 r2

Magnitude of force between electron and proton, upon substitution gives 8.2108 N . The
1 q
magnitude of the electric field due to the proton is given by E =
= 5.761011 N/C.
2
40 r
The ratio of the magnitudes of the electric and gravitational force is 2.2 1039 where the
gravitational force is calculated as Gmp me /r2 where mp and me are the masses of the
proton and electron respectively. The electric force is 39 orders of magnitude stronger
than the gravitational force between the electron and the proton. Still, large scale motions
of planets are determined by the gravitational force and not the electrical force. Since the
magnitudes of the charge of the electron and proton are equal and objects like planets have
about the same number of protons as electrons, they are essentially electrically neutral.
Therefore the force between planets is entirely determined by gravity.
Z Z

xy

e x+y dA, over the region R = {(x, y) : x 0, y

8. (5 points) Evaluate the surface integral


R

0, x + y 1}. Put u = x + y and v = x y, then the integral becomes,


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e v |J(u, v)|du

dv

I =

1
=
dv
2 0
e2 1
=
.
4e

e v du
v

9. (5 points) Find the total work done in moving a particle in a force field given by F~ = (3xy, 5z, 10x)N,
along the curve defined by ~r = (t2 + 1, 2t2 , t3 ) meters from t = 1 to t = 2.

W =
Z1 2
=

d~r
F~ . dt
dt
(12t5 + 10t4 + 12t3 + 30t2 )dt J

= 303J
10. (10 points) In 3-dimensional space a vector may be specified by its components in Cartesian
coordinates, (x, y, z), or in spherical coordinates, (r, , ). The radius of the earth Re is about
6.37106 m. Points on the earths surface are commonly specified in terms of latitude = 90o
and longitude = . The latitude and longitude of Cape Town is 35o S, 18o E, and of San
Francisco is 38o N, 122o W . Compute the displacement vector from Cape Town to San Francisco.
Remember to specify the length and direction of the vector.

Position Vector for Cape Town, ~r1 = Re r + 125o + 18o


Position Vector for San Francisco, ~r2 = Re r + 52o + 238o
The displacement vector = ~r2 ~r1 .
Supplementary Discussion: The actual distance, D between these two cities over the
surface of earth can be calculated as follows,

Angle between ~r1 and ~r2 ,


= cos1
Distance Between San Francisco and Cape Town,
D = Re .

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~r1 .~r2
|r1 ||r2 |

11. (5 points) Verify Gauss divergence theorem for vector F~ = (y, x, z 2 ), for cylindrical region given
by (x2 + y 2 = a2 ) and 0 z b).
Gauss divergence theorem can be stated as
Z Z Z
Z
~
ds
F dv = F~ n
s
a

Z
R.H.S =

a2 x2

a2 x2

2z dzdydx = a2 b2

Z
~
L.H.S =
F d~s2 +
F~ d~s3
S2
S3
ZS1
Z
Z

~
~
=
F a ddz +
F k ds2
F~ k ds3
| S2 {z
| S2 {z
| S1
{z
}
}
}
F~ d~s1 +

a2 b2

2 2

= a b .

12. (10 points) If A is any vector field, prove div (curl A) = 0 by considering the surface S in Fig
below: a balloon almost cut in two which is bounded by the closed curve C. [Hint: Think about
the line integral, over a curve like C, of any vector field. Then invoke Stokes and Gauss theorems
with suitable arguments.

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~ dS
~ 0 for a vector A
~ over any closed curve C, consisting of adjacent paths running in
A
Z
~ d~a = 0 by Stokes
opposite directions. These paths bound the surface S. Hence, ( A)
C

theorem. Since the considered curve C is negligible compared to the whole closed surface S,
~ has zero
the same conclusion holds for any arbitrary closed surface. This means that A
surface integral for any surface S which is closed and bounded. Hence, by Gausss theorem,
~ = 0 everywhere. Else, a surface surrounding a particular region can have a non
div( A)
vanishing surface integral. This proves that div (curl A) = 0.

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