ECE 450 Spring 2010 Homework 2 Solutions Due: Tuesday, Feb 2nd, 2010

1) Again, utilize the vector differential operations in spherical coordinates as well as

common vector identities and work through the math.

a)

e
− jk r
 e − jk r 
∇2 = ∇ i  ∇  , inside you have the gradient of two scalar functions. Use the
4π ε0 r  4π ε0 r 
identity, ∇(φψ ) = φ∇ψ +ψ∇φ , essentially the chain rule to obtain:

 e − jk r   ∇e− jk r  1  − jk r 
∇ i ∇
 4π ε r  = ∇ i  +∇
 4π ε r 
e  , now use the given identity in the HW on
 0  
 4π ε0 r  0  
each term to obtain the following in separate parts.

∇e
− jk r
 1  − jk r − jk r  1 
(1) ∇i =   ∇i∇e + ∇e i ∇  
4π ε0 r  4π ε0 r   4π ε0 r 

 1  − jk r  − jk r   1   1  − jk r
(2) ∇ i  ∇
  e =e  ∇ i∇  
  +∇
  i ∇e
  4π ε0 r   
   4π ε0 r    4π ε0 r 

Adding (1) and (2), yields the equality

∇i∇e
− jk r
 1  − jk r  1  − jk r
+ 2∇  i ∇e + ∇ i∇   e
4π ε0 r  4π ε0 r   4π ε0 r 

∴∇  1   1  − jk r
− jk r − jk r
2 e ∇i∇e − jk r
= + 2∇  i ∇e + ∇ i∇   e ♠
4π ε0 r 4π ε0 r  4π ε0 r   4π ε0 r 

b) You are interested in the first two terms on the right side of the equal sign. Note the
functional dependence on r only, make use of the vector differential operations. What do you
∂ψ 1 ∂  2 ∂ψ 
need to know? Just ∇ψ = rˆ and ∇ 2ψ = 2 r 
∂r r ∂r  ∂r 

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- Start with the first term:

− jk r
∇i∇e 1
= ∇ 2 e− jkr
4π ε0 r 4π ε0 r

1 1 ∂  2 ∂ e − jkr 
= r 
4π ε0 r r 2 ∂r  ∂r 

1 1 ∂ 2
(3) =
4π ε0 r r 2 ∂r
(
r ( − jke− jkr ) )
− jk 1
4π ε0 r r 2 (
2re− jkr + r 2 ( − jke− jkr ) )
−2 jk k 2 e− jkr
= −
4π ε0 r 2 4π ε0 r

-The next term:

 1  − jk r ∂ 1 ∂
2∇  i ∇e = 2rˆ i rˆ e − jkr
 4π ε0 r  ∂r 4π ε0 r ∂r

1
(4) = −2rˆ i rˆ ( − jke− jkr )
4π ε0 r 2

2 jke − jkr
=
4π ε0 r 2

−2 jk k 2 e− jkr 2 jke− jkr k 2 e− jkr

Finally adding (3) and (4), − + = − ♠
4π ε0 r 2 4π ε0 r 4π ε0 r 2 4π ε0 r

Extra credit:

 1  − jk r  1  − jk r
Now we have ∇ 2V + k 2V = ∇ ⋅∇   e = ∇ 2
  e .
 4π ε r 
 0   4π ε0 r 

 1  δ (r )
From the property of delta function: ∇ 2   = −
 4π ε0 r  ε0

2
We obtain

δ (r ) − jk r δ (r )
∇ 2V + k 2V = − e =− , since f ( x ) δ ( x − x′) = f ( x′) δ ( x − x′ ) .
ε0 ε0

2)

C
a) ρ ( r, t ) = δ ( r ) δ ( t )
m3

i) Derive the restarted scalar potential:

 r − r′   r − r′   r
ρ  r′, t −  δ ( r′ ) δ  t −  δ t − 
 c  d 3r′ =  c  d 3r′ =  c 
V ( r, t ) = ∫ ∫ 4πε 0 r − r′
4πε 0 r − r′ 4πε 0 r

ii) Plot V ( r, t ) at (0,0,900) as a function of time:

7
x 10
2

← δ (t-3)/3600πε 0
1.5
Retarted s calar petential V (volt)

0.5

-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Tim e ( µ s )

The delta function in the above figure has a magnitude of 1/ 3600πε 0 .

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iii) Plot V ( r, t ) along the positive z-axis at t=2 µ sec :

8
x 10
2

← δ(z-600)/2400πε 0
1.5
Retarted scalar petential V (volt)

0.5

-0.5

-1
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Z (m )

The delta function in the above figure has a magnitude of 1/ 2400πε 0 .

C
b) ρ ( r, t ) = δ ( r ) cos (ωt )
m3

i) Derive the restarted scalar potential:

 r − r′    r − r′  
ρ  r′, t −  δ ( r′ ) cos ω  t − 
 c  d 3r′ =   c  3
V ( r, t ) = ∫ ∫ d r′
4πε 0 r − r′ 4πε 0 r − r′

  r 
cos ω  t −  
=   c 
4πε 0 r

ii) Plot V ( r, t ) at (0,0,900) as a function of time on the same figure made in part a) ii):

4
 7
x 10
2

← δ (t-3)/3600πε 0
1.5
Retarted s c alar petential V (v olt)

0.5

-0.5

-1

-1.5

-2
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Time ( µ s )

1
The magnitude of the sine function is ≈ 1.0014 ×10−7 and it reaches its peak at t = 3µ sec .
4πε 0 z

iii) Plot V ( r, t ) along the positive z-axis at t=2 µ sec on the same figure made in part a) iii):
8
x 10
2

← δ(z-600)/2400πε 0
1.5
Retarted scalar petential V (volt)

0.5

-0.5

-1
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Z (m)

5
 C
c) ρ (r, t ) = q [δ (r − hxˆ ) − δ (r + hxˆ ) + δ (r − hyˆ ) − δ (r + hyˆ )] cos(ωt )
m3

d) Since we assume ρ (r, t ) is a time harmonic source, i.e., it oscillates at single frequency we
can develop the phasor representation as follows:

ρ (r, t ) = ρ '(r ) cos(ωt + α )

= ρ '(r ) Re {e j (ωt +α ) }
= Re { ρ '(r )e jωt e jα } (1)
= Re { ρ (r )e jωt }

Thus, ρ (r ) is the phasor or complex quantity. The phase of the sinusoid, α, has been absorbed

into the phasor and must be accounted for. In ρ (r, t ) we see that α=0, therefore

C
ρ (r) = q [δ (r − hxˆ ) − δ (r + hxˆ ) + δ (r − hyˆ ) − δ (r + hyˆ )] ♠
m3

∂ρ (r, t )
*To find, , one can easily take the time derivative of ρ (r, t ) and find that,
∂t

∂ρ (r, t ) C
= ρ (r, t ) = − qω [δ (r − hxˆ ) − δ (r + hxˆ ) + δ (r − hyˆ ) − δ (r + hyˆ ) ] sin(ωt ) 3 ♠ .
∂t m

∂
In phasor form, one can replace → jω due to the time harmonic dependence (the time to
∂t
frequency domain translation for harmonic sources) and simply multiply ρ (r ) by jω and bring
the expression back into the time domain via the expression in (1). That is,

∂ρ (r, t )
= Re { jωρ (r )e jωt }
∂t
C
= −qω [δ (r − hxˆ ) − δ (r + hxˆ ) + δ (r − hyˆ ) − δ (r + hyˆ )] sin(ωt ) 3 ♠
m

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e) Use what you’ve determined above, either in the time domain or phasor domain,
∂ρ (r, t )
respectively that is, ∇·J (r, t ) = − . Therefore,
∂t

C
∇·J (r, t ) = qω [δ (r − hxˆ ) − δ (r + hxˆ ) + δ (r − hyˆ ) − δ (r + hyˆ )] sin(ωt ) ♠
m3

f) Now we know that each of these four ‘point charges” generate an electric field,
associated with the electric field is the scalar potential V. So the problem is as simple as
calculating the scalar potential from each of these point charges, and summing the results via
superposition. The only difference now is that the charges are time-harmonic in nature hence the
notion of finding the ‘retarded’ scalar potential. Start in the phasor domain directly.

− jk r −r '
 (r ) = ρ (r )e
V ∫ 4π ε0 r − r ' dr
(2)
q [δ (r − hxˆ ) − δ (r + hxˆ ) + δ (r − hyˆ ) − δ (r + hyˆ )] e
− jk r −r '

=∫ dr
4π ε0 r − r '

What we do know, via ρ (r ) , the delta functions tells us exactly where the source locations are
located. We have delta functions inside an integral over all space—the only thing to do is to
apply the sifting, sampling property to each charge. Recall in rectangular coordinates,

r − r ' = ( xxˆ + yyˆ + zzˆ ) − ( x ' xˆ + y ' yˆ + z ' zˆ )

Therefore, for example, the first point charge located at δ (r − hxˆ ) tells us that the charge only

exists at r ' = hxˆ , then r − r ' = ( xxˆ + yyˆ + zzˆ ) − hxˆ = r − hxˆ , after applying the sifting property to

(2). The rest follows in the same manner. Therefore,

q e 
− jk r − hxˆ − jk r + hxˆ − jk r − hyˆ − jk r + hyˆ
e e e
V (r ) =  − + −  , ♠
4π ε0  r − hxˆ r + hxˆ r − hyˆ r + hyˆ 

a linear superposition of the retarded potential due to each point charge!

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3) {
 (r )e jωt
Apply the last equation given in (1): A (r , t ) = Re A }

A(r, t ) = Re {( j 2 xˆ − 2 yˆ ) e jωt }
a) = Re {( j 2 xˆ − 2 yˆ )( cos ωt + j sin ωt )}
= −2sin ωt xˆ − 2 cos ωt yˆ ♠

A(r, t ) = Re{( jω yˆ + 2ω zˆ ) e }
2 jωt

b) = Re {( jω yˆ + 2ω zˆ ) ( cos ωt + j sin ωt )}
2

= −ω sin ωt yˆ + 2ω 2 cos ωt zˆ ♠

A(r, t ) = Re {( jxˆ + 2 yˆ ) e − jkz e jωt }

c) = Re {( jxˆ + 2 yˆ )( cos(ωt − kz ) + j sin(ωt − kz ) )}
= − sin(ωt − kz ) xˆ + 2 cos(ωt − kz ) yˆ ♠

4) Use the vector differential operations in spherical coordinates and recognize the vector
components and their functional dependencies to ease the calculation. For fun, realize what
divergence and curl means physically and see if an early prediction matches with your calculated
result.

a) i) A = r 2 rˆ + r sin θθˆ

Since we have only two components: (1) r component which is a function of the variable r and
(2), a θ component which is a function of the variables r and θ, we can write

φˆ  ∂  φˆ  ∂  φˆ ˆ
∇× A = ( rA ) = ( r r sin θ )  = r 2r sin θ = φ 2sin θ ♠
r  ∂r
θ 
 r  ∂r

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 1 ∂ 2 1 ∂
∇i A = 2
r ∂r
( r Ar ) +
r sin θ ∂θ
( sin θ Aθ )
1 ∂ 1 ∂
= 2 ( r 2r 2 ) + ( sin θ r sin θ )
r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ
1 ∂
= 4r +
sin θ ∂θ
( sin 2 θ )
1
= 4r + ( 2 cos θ sin θ )
sin θ
= 4r + 2 cos θ ♠

e− r ˆ
ii) B= θ , this time we only have a single θ component which is a function of r.
r

φˆ  ∂ φˆ  ∂  e   φˆ
−r

  = ( −re ) = φ ( −e )
∇ × B =  ( rAθ )  =   r −r ˆ −r
♠
r  ∂r  r  ∂r  r   r

1 ∂
∇iB = ( sin θ Aθ )
r sin θ ∂θ
1 ∂  e− r 
=  sin θ 
r sin θ ∂θ  r 

1 e− r ∂
= ( sin θ )
r sin θ r ∂θ
e− r cos θ
= ♠
r 2 sin θ

sin θ
b) i) U= , note U only depends upon r and θ
r

∂U ˆ 1 ∂U
∇U = rˆ +θ
∂r r ∂θ
∂ sin θ ˆ 1 ∂ sin θ
= rˆ +θ
∂r r r ∂θ r
sin θ ˆ 1
= rˆ − + θ 2 cos θ ♠
r2 r

ii) V = r cos θ , dependent on r and θ again

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 ∂V ˆ 1 ∂V
∇V = rˆ +θ
∂r r ∂θ
∂ 1 ∂
= rˆ r cos θ + θˆ r cos θ
∂r r ∂θ
= rˆ cos θ + θˆ ( − sin θ ) ♠

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