Physics 505

Fall 2005

Homework Assignment #6 Due Thursday, October 27

Textbook problems: Ch. 4: 4.2, 4.6 a) and b), 4.7 a) and b), 4.8

4.2 A point dipole with dipole moment p~ is located at the point ~x0 . From the properties
of the derivative of a Dirac delta function, show that for calculation of the potential
or the energy of a dipole in an external field, the dipole can be described by an
effective charge density
eff (~x ) = ~
p (~x ~x0 )
We first consider the potential
Z
1
1
(~x ) =
(~x 0 )
d3 x0
0
40
|~x ~x |
Z
1
1
~ x0 3 (~x 0 ~x0 )]
=
[~
p
d3 x0
0
40
|~x ~x |


Z
1
1
3
0
~
d3 x0
=
(~x ~x0 )~
p x0
40
|~x ~x 0 |



1
1
1 p~ (~x ~x0 )
~ x0

=
p~
=

0
40
|~x ~x |
40 |~x ~x0 |3
0
~
x =~
x0

This is the expected potential for a dipole.

Similarly, we can work out the energy of the dipole in an external field
Z

(~x )(~x ) d3 x
Z
~ 3 (~x ~x0 )](~x ) d3 x
= [~
p
Z
~ x ) d3 x
= 3 (~x ~x0 )~
p (~

W =

~ x0 ) = ~
~ x0 )
= p~ (~
p E(~
Essentially the derivative of a delta function serves to pick out derivatives of the
function that it is multiplied against. Of course, a delta function itself is rather
singular, and its derivatives are even more so. But as far as formal expressions
(or distribution theory expressions) are concerned, these manipulations are in
fact legitimate.
4.6 A nucleus with quadrupole moment Q finds itself in a cylindrically symmetric electric
field with a gradient (Ez /z)0 along the z axis at the position of the nucleus.

a) Show that the energy of quadrupole interaction is



e
Ez
W = Q
4
z 0
The quadrupole interaction energy is
Ei
1
W = Qij
6
xj
To work out this expression, we first note that the cylindrically symmetric charge
distribution for the nucleus gives rise to non-vanishing quadrupole moments
Q11 = Q22 = 21 Q33
(Note that this is obtained by demanding symmetry and tracelessness.) Since the
nuclear quadrupole moment Q (without indices) is (1/e)Q33 we end up with
Q11 = Q22 = 12 eQ,

Q33 = eQ

The energy is thus

eQ
W =
6

1 Ey
Ez
1 Ex

2 x
2 y
z


(1)

We now make use of the fact that the (external) electric field is divergence free
~ E
~ = Ex + Ey + Ez
0=
x
y
z
and cylindrically symmetric (so that Ex /x = Ey /y) to write
Ey
1 Ez
Ex
=
=
x
y
2 z
Making this substitution in (1) allows us to write W entirely in terms of Ez /z
W =

eQ Ez
4 z

b) If it is known that Q = 21028 m2 and that W/h is 10 MHz, where h is Plancks

constant, calculate (Ez /z)0 in units of e/40 a30 , where a0 = 40 h2 /me2 =
0.529 1010 m is the Bohr radius in hydrogen.
Note that

Ez
4W
4h (W/h)
=
= 2
z
e Q
ea0 (Q/a20 )

In units of e/40 a30 , we have



e
Ez
16h0 a0 (W/h)
8 a0 (W/h)
=
=
3
2
2
z
40 a0
e
(Q/a0 )
c (Q/a20 )
where = e2 /40 hc = 1/137.036 . . . is the fine structure constant. Putting in
numbers yields



 Ez 
e


0.085
 z 
40 a30
4.7 A localized distribution of charge has a charge density
(~r ) =

1 2 r 2
r e sin
64

a) Make a multipole expansion of the potential due to this charge density and determine all the nonvanishing multipole moments. Write down the potential at large
distances as a finite expansion in Legendre polynomials.
This charge distribution is azimuthally symmetric. As a result, only m = 0
moments will be nonvanishing. Furthermore, noting that
sin2 = 1 cos2 = 23 [P0 (cos ) P2 (cos )]
we may write down the moments
Z
ql0 = rl Yl0 (, )(r, ) r2 dr d d(cos )
r
Z
2l + 1
rl Pl (cos )(r, ) r2 dr d(cos )
= 2
4
r
Z 1
Z
2 2 2l + 1 l+4 r
r e dr
Pl (cos )[P0 (cos ) P2 (cos )] d(cos )
=
64 3
4
0
1
r
1 2l + 1
=
(l + 5)[2l,0 25 l,2 ]
48
4
As a result, we read off the only nonvanishing multipole moments
r
r
1
5
,
q20 = 6
q00 =
4
4
The multipole expansion then yields the large distance potential
Ylm (, )
1 X 4
qlm
=
40
2l + 1
rl+1
l,m
r
1 X
4
Pl (cos )
ql0
=
40
2l + 1
rl+1
l


1
1
6
=
3 P2 (cos )
40 r
r

(2)

b) Determine the potential explicitly at any point in space, and show that near the
origin, correct to r2 inclusive,


1
1
r2
(~r ) '

P2 (cos )
40 4 120
We may use a Greens function to obtain the potential at any point in space. In
general (since there are no boundaries, except at infinity)
X 4 rl
1
<

G(~x, ~x ) =
=
Ylm
(0 , 0 )Ylm (, )
l+1
0
|~x ~x |
2l + 1 r>
0

lm

However, for azimuthal symmetry, it is sufficient to focus on the m = 0 terms in

the expansion
X rl
<
G(~x, ~x ) =
P (cos )Pl (cos 0 ) + (m 6= 0)
l+1 l
r>
l
0

Then
Z
1
(~x 0 )G(~x, ~x 0 ) d3 x0
(~x ) =
40
Z
l
1 2 2 04 r0 r<
=
dr0
r e
l+1
40 64 3 0
r>
Z 1

[P0 (cos 0 ) P2 (cos 0 )]Pl (cos 0 )Pl (cos ) d(cos 0 )

1


Z
Z r
1
1 1
0l+4 r 0
0
l
03l r 0
0
r
e dr + r
r
e dr [2l,0 52 l,2 P2 (cos )]
=
40 48 rl+1 0
r
Instead of writing this out in terms of incomplete Gamma functions, it is better
just to integrate for l = 0 and l = 2. The result is



1 1 1
=
24 er (24 + 18r + 6r2 + r3 )
40 24 r



1
r
2
3
4
5
3 P2 (cos ) 144 e (144 + 144r + 72r + 24r + 6r + r )
r
Note that as r the er factors are exponentially small. As a result, we simply
reproduce (2) in this limit. On the other hand, as r 0 a Taylor expansion yields
1
=
40



  2


1
r
+
+ P2 (cos )
4
120

Obtaining the correct l = 2 term involves the cancellation of the first five terms in
the Taylor expansion. The leading terms in the final expression have the correct
powers of rl Pl (cos ).
4.8 A very long, right circular, cylindrical shell of dielectric constant /0 and inner and
outer radii a and b, respectively, is placed in a previously uniform electric field E0
with its axis perpendicular to the field. The medium inside and outside the cylinder
has a dielectric constant of unity.
a) Determine the potential and electric field in the three regions, neglecting end
effects.
Since the cylinder is very long, we treat this as a two-dimensional problem. In
this case, the potential admits a general expansion
X
[m m + m m ] cos(m m )
=
m

(where the m = 0 term should actually be 0 +0 ln ). Furthermore, by orienting

the electric field along the +x direction, we may use the symmetry of
this problem to eliminate the phases m . As a result, we are able to write the
potential as an expansion in each of the three regions

1 = Am m cos(m) E0 cos , > b

= 2 = (Bm m + Cm m ) cos(m), a < < b

3 = Dm m cos(m),
<a
For each value of m, there are four unknowns, Am , Bm , Cm and Dm . On the other
hand, there are also four matching conditions (D and E k both at a and at b).
Note, however, that when m 6= 1 these matching conditions yield homogeneous
equations which only admit the trivial solution
Am = Bm = Cm = Dm = 0

m 6= 1

Thus we may write

1 = (A1 E0 ) cos , > b

= 2 = (B + C1 ) cos , a < < b

<a
3 = D cos ,
We may obtain the electric field by taking a gradient
1
E = (A2 + E0 ) cos ,
2
= E = (B + C2 ) cos ,
E =
3

E = D cos ,
1
E = (A2 E0 ) sin ,
1 2
E =
= E = (B + C2 ) sin ,
3

E = D sin ,

(3)

>b
a<<b
<a
>b
a<<b
<a

(4)

The matching at = a is
0 E3 = E2 ,

E3 = E2

or
(0 /)D B + Ca2 = 0,

D B Ca2 = 0

This may be solved for C and D in terms of B

C=

1 0 / 2
Ba ,
1 + 0 /

D=

2
B
1 + 0 /

(5)

Similarly, the matching at = b is

E2 = 0 E3 ,

E2 = E3

or
(0 /)Ab2 + B Cb2 = (0 /)E0 ,

Ab2 B Cb2 = E0

Eliminating C using (5) gives rise to the simultaneous equations

10 / a
2
1+0 / b
10 / a
2
1+0 / b

b2

(0 /)b2

1
= E0

0 /

This yields a solution

A = E0

B = E0


(1 0 /) 1

 a 2 
b

b2

(6)

(20 /)

where

= (1 + 0 /) 1

1 0 / a
1 + 0 / b

2 !

Substituting B into (5) then gives the remaining coefficients

(1 0 /)20 / 2
a
1 + 0 /
40 /
D = E0 1
1 + 0 /
C = E0 1

(7)

The potential and electric field are obtained by substituting these coefficients into
(3) and (4)
b) Sketch the lines of force for a typical case of b ' 2a.

c) Discuss the limiting forms of your solution appropriate for a solid dielectric cylinder in a uniform field, and a cylindrical cavity in a uniform dielectric.
A solid dielectric cylinder of radius b may be obtained by taking the limit a
0. In this case the expressions (6) and (7) simplify considerably. We give the
potential
(
2
0 / b x
1 = E0 x + E0 1
1+0 / 2 , > b
=
(8)
20 /
2 = E0 1+
x,

<
b
0 /
where x = cos . The potential 3 is irrelevant in this case. Here we see that the
potential 2 inside the cylinder is uniform (but corresponds to a reduced electric
field provided  > 0 ). The potential outside is that of the original uniform electric
field combined with a two-dimensional dipole.
For the opposite limit, we obtain a cylindrical cavity of radius a by taking the
limit b . In this case, we end up with
(
=

20 /
0 /)20 / a x
2 = E0 1+
x E0 (1
(1+0 /)2
2 , > a
0 /
40 /
3 = E0 (1+
2 x,
0 /)

<a

At first glance, this appears to be considerably different from (8). However, note
0 = E0 (20 /)/(1+0 /).
that the physical electric field we measure as is E

In terms of E0 , we have
(
=

0 x E
0 10 / a22x , > a
2 = E
1+0 /
0 2 x,
3 = E
<a
1+0 /

which may be rewritten as

(
=

0 x + E
0 1/0 a 2x , > a
2 = E
1+/0
2/0

3 = E0 1+/0 x,
<a

This agrees with (8) after the replacement  0 (and a b), as it must.