Cornell University, Physics Department

PHYS-217 Electricity & Magnetism

Fall 2004
Section 01

Solutions to Problem Set 2

David C. Tsang

Purcell 1.10
At the beginning of the century the idea that the rest mass of the electron might
have a purely electrical origin was very attractive, especially when the equivalence
of energy and mass was revealed by special relativity. Imagine the electron as a
ball of charge, of constant volume density out to some maximum radiusro . Using
the result of Problem 1.9, set the potential energy of this system equal to mc2
and see what you get for ro . One defect of the model is rather obvious: Nothing
is provided to hold the charge together!
dq
ro

dr

Figure 1: Diagram for Problem 1.10.

In order to determine the potential
energy of a sphere, we add spherical
shells of thickness dr.
The spherical charge of radius ro and charge e has charge density
=

3e
e
=
V
4ro3

if we had a smaller sphere of radius r with the same charge density, the potential at the
surface of such a sphere would be
V (r)
4r 3
=
r
3r
4r 2
=
3

consider a spherical shell of thickness dr, brought in from infinity to the surface of this
sphere. The work done must then be
dW = dq = 4r 2 dr
(4)2 4
r dr
=
3
Z ro
(4)2 4
r dr
W =
3
o
(4)2 5
r dr
=
15
3 2
=
e /ro
5
which is the same as the total potential energy of the field.
Setting this quantity equal to mc2 and solving for ro we obtain
3
mc2 = U = e2 /ro
5
3 e2
ro =
5 mc2
3
(4.80 1010 esu)2
=
5 (0.91 1027 g)(3 1010 cm/s)2
ro = 1.69 1012

cm

(1)

Purcell 1.30
Concentric spherical shells of radius a and b, with b > a, carry charge Q and
Q, repectively, each charge uniformly distributed. Find the energy stored in
the electric field of this system.
The electric field due to two concentric oppositely charged sphere can be found using
Gausss law. Taking our Gaussian surface outside the outer sphere, or inside the inner

+Q
b

a
r

Gaussian Surface

Figure 2: Diagram for Problem 1.30.

The electric field between two charged
concentric spheres can be found using
Gausss law.
sphere we quickly see that there can be no electric field in these regions, as there is no net
contained charge.
In the region between the two shells, the electric field must be radially directed, with flux
= E 4r 2 = 4Q
Q
E = 2
r
Knowing the electric field everywhere in space we can then integrate to find the total
energy contained in the electric field.

Z
1
U =
E 2 dV
8
Z
1
=
E 2 4r 2 dr
8 0
Z
1 b Q2 2
r dr
=
2 a r4


Q2 1 1
U=

2 a b

Purcell 2.1
The vector which follows represents a possible electrostatic field:
Ex = 6xy

Ey = 3x2 32y

Ez = 0

~ from the point (0,0,0) to the point (x1 ,y1 , 0) along

Calculate the line integral of E
the path which runs straight from (0,0,0) to (x1 , 0, 0) and thence to (x1 ,y1 , 0).
Make a similar calculation for the path which runs along the other two sides of
the rectangle, via the point (0, y1 , 0). You ought to get the same answer if the
assertion above is true. Now you have the potential function (x, y, z). Take the
gradient of this function and see that you get back the components of the given
field.
y
(0, y, 0)

(x, y, 0)

path 2

path 1

(x, 0, 0)

Figure 3: Diagram for Problem 2.1.

The two paths taken yield the same
value for the path integral. This indicates that the described field is conservative, and hence can be described by
the gradient of a potential.
Path 1:
=

(x1 ,y1 )

(0,0)
Z x1

~ d~s
E
Z

y1

Ey (x1 , y)dy
Ex (x, 0)dx +
0
0
Z y1
= 0+
(3x21 3y 2 )dy

= 3x21 y1 y13

(2)
5

Path 2:

=
=

(x1 ,y1 )

(0,0)
Z y1

~ d~s
E
x1

Ey (0, y)dy +
Ex (x, y1 )dx
0
0
Z y1
Z x1
2
=
3y dy +
6xy1 dx
0

= 3x21 y1 y13
Thus the electric potential, if taken as zero at (0,0) is 3y 3 3x2 y .Taking the gradient
we see that it returns the electric field.

Purcell 2.12
The right triangle with vertex P at the origin base b, and altitude a, has a
uniform density of surface charge . Determine the potential at the vertex P.
First find the contribution of the vertical strip of width dx at x. Show that the
potential at P can be written as P = b ln[(1 + sin ) cos ].
This problem is more an exercise in integration than anything else.

dy

xa/b

dx
b

Figure 4: Diagram for Problem 2.12.

First we integrate the vertical slice located at position x. Then we integrate
over x.

xa
b

dy
p
x2 + y 2
0
0
 xa
Z b
p
b
2
2
dx ln(y + x + y )
=
0
0
r
Z b
2
a
a
=
dx ln( + 1 + 2 )
b
b
0
r


a
a2
= b ln
+ 1+ 2
b
b

P =

dx

P = b ln(
since

a
b

a2 +b2
b

1 + sin
)
cos

(3)

sin +1
.
cos

Purcell 2.18
A hollow circular cylinder, of radius a, and length b, with open ends, has a
total charge Q uniformly distributed over its surface. What is the difference in
potential between a point on the axis at one end and the midpoint of the eaxis?
Show by sketching some field lines how you think the field of this thing ought to
look.
Since all charge on a ring is equidistant from a point on the axis, the ring is a convenient
block on which to construct our potential. Consider a point located a distane xo from the
midpoint. (Right side of Fig[5]). The potential can be expressed as:
Z
dQ
=
r

Z b +xo 
2
Qdx
1

=
2
b
a + x2
2b +xo
 b +xo

2
Q
[ln( a2 + x2 + x)]
=
b
b +xo
2

For the midpoint we have xo = 0:

Q
A = ln
b

p 2

a + b2 /4 + b/2
p
a2 + b2 /4 b/2
7

dQ = Qdx/b

a
dx
a

xo

b/2

Figure 5: Diagram for Problem 2.18. The total charge Q is uniformly distributed.
. All charge on the ring is
thus the charge in the ring of width dx is dQ = Q dx
b
equidistant from the axis.
For a point at the end of the tube we have xo = b/2:
 2

a + b2 + b
Q
B = ln
b
a
Q
A B = ln
b

p

a2 + b2 /4 + b/2)
p

( a2 + b2 /4 b/2)( a2 + b2 + b)
a(

Figure 6: Sketch of the elelctric fields.

(4)

Purcell 2.27
Use the result stated in Eq. 24 to calculate the energy stored in the electric field
of the charged disk described in Section 2.6. (Hint: Consider the work done in
building the disc of charge out from zero radius to radius a by adding successive
rings of width dr. Express the total energy in terms of radius a and total charge
Q = a2 ).

dr

Figure 7: Diagram for Problem 2.27. The potential at the rim of the charged
idsk is 4r. We add a ring of charge dq = 2rdr.
The potential of at the rim of a charged disc derived in the book and in section is given
by
(r) = 4r
where r is the radius of the disc. Adding a ring of charge dq = 2rdr costs in energy
dE = dq
= 8 2 r 2 dr
E =

8 2 r 2 dr
0

8 2 3
a
=
3
But we have that = Q/(a2 ) such that
E=

8Q2
3a

(5)