HOMEWORK 1 Due Thursday, September 1

Throughout the semester, problems will be assigned from the webcast archive, which is
based on Ohanian, Physics, Second Edition (Norton, 1989) and my own notes; and from
Purcell and Morin, our textbook.
The webcast archive problems have nearly full solutions presented online. There are two
types of assignment in Purcell and Morin: Problems, which have complete solutions in
Chapter 12; and Exercises, for which I will provide answers, but not solutions, in advance.
It is a good idea to work as much as possible without referring to the webcasts or the
Problem solutions. Just ask for help whenever you get stuck, particularly on the Exercises.

Webcast Archive Assignment

22/21, 23/18, Supplemental Problems A and B (written out on the next two pages)

Purcell/Morin Assignment

Problem 1.2 (p. 39).

Exercises 1.37, 1.42, 1.44 (no need to write a program), 1.46 (pp. 48-49).

Purcell/Morin Exercise Answers

1.37. (a) Q/q = 14 (1 + 2 2) = 0.957. (b) To be shown.

1 e2
1.42. ln 2.
40 a
1.44. W is positive, i.e., it requires energy to remove one ion to innity.
1 e2
For the 7 7 array, W for the central charge is 1.415 .
40 s


1 3/2
1.46. If the rst two charges are each q and the third Q, then Q/q = 2 1 +
2
= 3.154.
Supplemental Problem A. Expand the function

1 cos x
f (x) =
x

in a Taylor series about the point x = 0. (Hint: Expand the numerator rst.)
x x3 x5
Ans: +
2! 4! 6!

Supplemental Problem B. (a) Work out the rst three terms in the Taylor series ex-
pansion of the function
1
F (r) =
|r|

 (Note |r| = x2 + y 2 + z 2 , and write r = R
about the point r = R.  + r.)

I suggest you do NOT use the webcast video for this problem. The approach used in the
video is a vector Taylor series. Instead imitate the method we used to solve for the dipole
force eld in class.
(b) Suppose
 = 5
R x + 2
y
r = 5.1
x + 1.8
y + 0.3
z.
 and r to ve signicant gures, and
Evaluate your expansion of F for this choice of R
compare to the exact value of F at r.

1 
r R  2 (r)2
1 3(r R)
Ans: + .
R R2 2 R3
The exact value is 0.18462 to 5 sig gs. The approximate value from the expansion is
0.18461.