Physics 210A Homework 1-2 solutions Winter 2022

Problem 1
Zangwill 3.12 (A Charged Spherical Shell with a Hole)
A circular hole of radius b is bored through a spherical shell with radius R and uniform charge
per unit area σ.
(1) Show that E(P ) = (σ/20 ) [1 − sin (θ0 /2)] r̂, where P is the point at center of the hole
and θ0 is the opening angle of a cone whose apex is at the center of the sphere and whose
open end coincides with the edge of the hole. Perform the calculation by summing the
vector electric fields produced at P by all the other points of the shell.
(2) Use an entirely different argument to explain why E(P ) ≈ (σ/20 ) r̂ when θ0  1.
(Link to Solution: 1)

Problem 2
Zangwill 3.18 (Two Spherical Charge Distributions)
Two Spherical Charge Distributions A spherical charge distribution ρ1 (r) has total charge Q1
and a second, non-overlapping spherical charge distribution ρ2 (r) has total charge Q2 . The
distance between the centers of the two distributions is R. Use the strss tensor formalism to
prove that the interaction energy between the two is
1 Q1 Q2
VE =
4π0 R
Hint: It is not necessary to evaluate any integrals explicitly.
(Link to Solution: 2)

Problem 3
Zangwill 3.20 (The Potential of a Charged Line Segment)
The line segment from P to P 0 in the diagram below carries a uniform charge per unit length λ.
The vector a is coincident with the segment. The vectors b and c point from the observation
point r to the beginning and end of a, respectively. Evaluate the integral for the potential in

a coordinate-free manner by parameterizing the line source using a variable s0 which is zero at
the point on the charged segment that is closest to r. Show thereby that
 
 b·a q b·a
2 |b×a|2 
 + + a2 
λ  a a
ϕ(r) = ln  .
4π0  c·a
q
c·a 2 |b×a|2 


a + a
+ a2 

(Link to Solution: 3)

Problem 4
A sphere of radius R has charge uniformly distributed throughout (charge density ρ, total charge
Q ) except in a spherical cavity of radius a located a vector distance d~ from the center of the
sphere. In the cavity the charge density is zero (note that the cavity is entirely contained within
~ + a < R).
the sphere, that is |d|
1
 (1) It turns out that the field in the cavity is constant - find the magnitude and direction of
this constant electric field in the cavity.
(2) Find the potential at the center of the cavity.
(Link to Solution: 4)

Problem 5
Zangwill 5.6 (Charge Transfer between Conducting Spheres)
A metal ball with radius R1 has charge Q. A second metal ball with radius R2 has zero charge.
Now connect the balls together using a fine conducting wire. Assume that the balls are separated
by a distance R which is large enough that the charge distribution on each ball remains uniform.
Show that the ball with radius R1 possesses a final charge
 
QR1 (R1 − R2 ) R2
Q1 = 1+ .
R1 + R2 (R1 + R2 ) R
(Link to Solution: 5)

Problem 6
Zangwill 5.13 (A Conducting Disk)
A conducting disk of radius R held at potential V sits in the x − y plane centered on the z-axis.
(1) Use the charge density for this system calculated in the text to find the potential every-
where on the z-axis.
(2) Ground the disk and place a unit point charge q0 on the axis at z = d. Use the results of
part (a) and Green’s reciprocity relation to find the amount of charge brought up from
ground to the disk.
(Link to Solution: 6)

Problem 7
Zangwill 5.24 (Holding a Sphere Together)
A conducting shell of radius R has total charge Q. If sawed in half, the two halves of the shell
will fly apart. This can be prevented by placing a point charge Q0 at the center of the shell.
(1) What value of Q0 which just barely keep the shell together?
(2) How does the answer to part (a) change for the case of an insulating sphere with uniform
charge density σ = Q/4πR2 ?
(Link to Solution: 7)

2
 Answer to Problem 1
(1) Let the shell’s center be at the origin, with the center of the hole lying at (R, 0, 0) in spherical
coordinates. Consider a small area element on the spherical shell located at spherical coordinates
(R, θ, φ). The charge corresponding to this element is σR2 sin θdθ dφ, while its distance from
the center of the hole is d(θ, φ) = 2R sin(θ/2). Clearly, the electric field at the center of the hole,
due to tiny areas located at (R, θ, φ) and (R, θ, π + φ) are such that their x and y components
cancel out, while the z component add up. Thus, the electric field due to the charge at (R, θ, φ)
is
1 R2 sin θdθdφσ sin(θ/2)
dE(θ, φ) := dE.ẑ =
4π0 d2 (θ, φ)
Thus, the total electric field is obtained by integrating over the the shell:
Z 2π Z π
E = ẑ dφ dθdE(θ, φ)
0 θ0
σ
= (1 − sin θ0 /2)
20
(2) If θ0  1, then we can approximate the hole as being non-existent. Thus, the electric field
just outside the shell at the hole is Eout ≈ ẑ 4πQ0 R2 = ẑ σ0 , while just inside, it is Ein ≈ 0. The
electric field at the center of the hole is then the average of the two, i.e. E = ẑ 2σ0 .

Answer to Problem 2
Consider a spherical surface just outside ρ2 . The force on ρ2 is equal to the integral of the stress
tensor over the sphere. The stress tensor can be expressed completely in terms of the electric
field. Since both the charge distributions are spherically symmetric, as far as computing the
electric field on the spherical surface is concerned, we can replace the distributions by point
charges Q1 and Q2 centered at the centers of the distributions (due to Gauss’ law). Thus, the
force on ρ2 is same as the force on a point charge Q2 due to a point charge Q1 with the same
relative positions (for any value of R). This also implies that the potential energy of this point
charge system is the same as that for the ρ1 , ρ2 system. Thus, the interaction energy is
1 Q1 Q2
VE = .
4π0 R

Answer to Problem 3
The segment is paramaterized by
~r0 (s0 ) = ~r + ~c + s0~a for 0 ≤ s0 ≤ 1.
The potential at ~r is found by adding up the contribution from each bit of the segment:
Z 1
λ |~a|ds0
ϕ(~r) = .
4π0 0 |~c + s0~a|
p
Let’s now use the Pythagorean formula |~v | = |~a|−1 (~a · ~v )2 + |~a × ~v |2 to write
Z 1
λ |~a|2 ds0
ϕ(~r) = q .
4π0 0 2 0 2 2
(~a · ~c + |~a| s ) + |~a × ~c|
Next change variables to u = (~a · ~c)2 + |~a|2 s0 and use
Z
du  p 
= log u + u2 + β 2 
 
p
2
u +β 2
3
to get
λ  p u=~a·~b
ϕ(~r) =
 2 2
log u + u + |~a × ~c| 

4π0 u=~a·~c
So the answer is   q 
~a · ~b + (~a · ~b)2 + |~a × ~c|2 

λ  
ϕ(~r) = log   
4π0
p
2 2
~a · ~c + (~a · ~c) + |~a × ~c| 
 

Answer to Problem 4
The charge density of the system is the sum of two charge densities:
(a) a uniformly charged sphere centered at the origin, having a radius R and with a charge
density ρ, and
(b) a uniformly charged sphere centered at d, having a radius a and with a charge density −ρ
(1) Using the principle of superposition, the electric field anywhere is the sum of the electric
fields due to these two charge densities separately. Let us denote two electric fields by E1 and
E2 respectively. For any point r inside the cavity, we then have
E(r) = E1 + E2
ρ −ρ
= r+ (r − d)
30 30
ρ
= d.
30
Clearly, the value is independent of the precise location within the cavity. Note that in the
equations above, we have used the fact that the electric field due to a uniformly charged sphere
of density ρ and radius R is given by
(
ρ
30
r, r<R
E = ρR 3
1
30 r2
r̂, r ≥ R
(2) We will again use the principle of superposition. Note that for a sphere of radius R, with
uniform charge density ρ and centered at the origin, the potential at any point r within the
sphere is φ(~r) = 6ρ0 (3R2 − r2 ). Applying this formula for the two charge densities mentioned
above and adding them up, we obtain the total potential at the center of the cavity to be
ρ −ρ 2
Φtotal = (3R2 − d2 ) + 3a
60 60
ρ
3(R2 − a2 ) − d2


=
60

Answer to Problem 5
Let the charges on the two spheres after equilibration be Q1 and Q2 . Clearly, the potential on
the two spheres must be equal since they are both conductors and are connected by a conducting
wire. Hence,
1 Q1 1 Q2 1 Q2 1 Q1
+ = + (1)
4π0 R1 4π0 R 4π0 R2 4π0 R
On the other hand, due to charge conservation, we have
Q = Q1 + Q2 (2)
4
Combining equations (1) and (2), we get
Q (R − R2 ) R1
Q1 = .
(R1 + R2 ) R − 2R1 R2
1
Using R  R1 , R2 , and using ≈ 1 − x, we get
1+x

1 − RR2

  
QR1 QR1 R2 2R1 R2 1
Q1 =  ≈ 1− 1+
R1 + R2 1 − 2R1 R2 1 R1 + R2 R R1 + R2 R
R1 +R2 R
 
QR1 (R1 − R2 ) R2
= 1+ ,
R1 + R2 (R1 + R2 ) R
where we have ignored a term of order (R2 /R)2 in the second line.

Answer to Problem 6
(1) From the text, the charge density on the surface of a conducting charged disk is
Q
σ(ρ) = p .
4πR R2 − ρ2
Since the capacitance is C = 80 R, we have Q = 80 RV . Thus,
20 V
σ(ρ) = p .
R2 − ρ2
Both sides of the disk have the same charge density. Hence the potential at (0, 0, z) due
to the disk is
Z R
2 2πρσ(ρ)
V (z) = dρ p
4π0 0 ρ2 + z 2
2V
= I,
π
where
Z R
ρdρ
I= p p .
0 R 2 − ρ2 ρ2 + z 2
Substituting ρ = R cos θ, we get
R π/2
Z
cos θdθ
I= p
|z| 0 (R/z)2 cos2 θ + 1
Substituting sin θ = γ, we get
Z 1
dγ
I=R p
0 (R2 + z 2 ) − R2 γ 2
√

Substituting Rγ = R2 + z 2 sin β, and defining θ0 = arcsin R/(R2 + z 2 )1/2 = arctan(R/|z|),
we get
Z θ0
I= dβ = θ0 = arctan(R/|z|).
0

Plugging it back in, we get

2V
V (z) = arctan(R/|z|).
π
5
(2) Let Q0 denote the amount of charge brought up from the ground to the disk. Let the
volume charge density be denoted by ρ(r). We note that
ρ(r) = ρ(r) + ρ1 (r) + ρ2 (r),
where ρ2 = −ρ1 and ρ1 corresponds to the situation in part (1) of this problem. Applying
Green’s reciprocity relation to the first two entries on the right hand side of the equation
above, we get
q0 V (z) + Q0 V = 0 + 0
Rearranging, and using the expression for V (z) obtained in part (1), we get
2q0
Q0 = − arctan(R/|z|).
π

Answer to Problem 7
(1) If the charge placed at the center is Q0 , then the total force experienced at a tiny surface
element at location r on the surface of the conductor is
1 Q0
 
σ
f =σ r̂ + r̂ ,
4π0 R 20
Q
where σ = 4πR 2 is the surface charge density of the shell. Note that the first term in the

parenthesis above is the electric field due to the point charge at the surface, while the
second term is the electric field due only to the shell. Equating the force to 0, we get
Q
Q0 = − .
2
(2) Since the only property of the conducting shell that we used was uniform charge dis-
tribution on its surface, the answer does not change if we consider an insulating sphere
with uniform charge density and the same charge Q.