Phy501, HW1

Due date: 11 AM, Sept. 18, 2017

Note: Solve all the problems. You can take help from others, but you must understand
each problem. The questions from this HW can feature on in-class quizzes and the exams.
Problems

1. Prove the following identities:

(A) = A + A (1)
(A) = A + () A (2)

( ) = 0 (3)
() = 0 (4)
A = ( A) 2 A (5)
1 r
= 3 (6)
|r| |r|
where = (r) is a scalar function and A = A(r) is a vector function of position r.

2. Consider a finite line charge distribution with uniform charge density along z axis
from z = 0.5L to z = 0.5L.

a Compute the electric field at a point in the xy plane at a distance r from the
origin.

b Now, extend the line charge to infinity on both sides, L , and find the field
for the infinite line charge.

c Compute the electric field at the same distance r for the infinite line of charge
using Gauss law and compare your results with part b.

3. Consider a circular sheet of charge of radius a placed in the xy plane with the center
of the sheet coinciding with the origin. The surface charge density on the circular
sheet is uniform. Compute the electric field everywhere on the z axis. Now, let a
and compute the electric field for the infinite sheet. Compare your result with the one
derived in the class for the uniform sheet using the Gauss law. Also, comment on how
the electric field behaves as z when the disc is finite ( a localized source) and when
the disc becomes infinite.

1
4. Consider a spherical Gaussian surface near an ordinary magnet. If we somehow mea-
sure the magnetic flux through 1/4 of the surface of the sphere to be 10 webers, what
must of the total flux through the remaining 3/4 surface of that sphere? Why?

5. Consider two point charges of equal magnitude q but of opposite signs place on the z
axis at z = 0.5d and z = 0.5d. Compute the total electric field everywhere in space
at a distance r from the origin by adding the individual electric fields of the point
charges. Now approximate the electric field when r >> d. This assembly of charges
is often referred to as an electric dipole and approximates practical situations like a
heterogeneous di-atomic molecule.