PH-525 (Spring 2019) Tutorial Sheet-4

Starred problems to be submitted on 9th April

For the purpose of this tutorial sheet, I define the vector ~rc = ~r − ~r0 (tr ), where
tr is the retarded time. We also define its magnitude and unit vector in its
direction by ~rc = rc r̂c .
~ r, t).
1. Consider a scalar potential V (~r, t) and a vector potential A(~
~ into A
• What is the gauge function λC (~r, t) which transforms A ~ 0 such that ∇ · A
~ 0 = 0.

~ into A
• What is the gauge function λL (~r, t) which transforms V into V 0 and A ~ 0 such that
~ 0 = 0.
µ0 0 ∂V 0 /∂t + ∇ · A

• Is it always possible to pick a gauge function such that V 0 = 0?

~ 0 = 0?
• Is it always possible to pick a gauge function such that A

2∗ . In the class I derived the Lienard-Wiechert potentials for a moving point charge q to be
1 qc
V (~r, t) =
4π0 rc c − ~rc · ~v
~ r, t) = ~v V (~r, t)
A(~
c2
Show that these two potentials satisfy the Lorentz gauge condition.
~ r, t), it can be shown that the magnetic field is given by
3. Given a current density J(~

~˙ r0 , t)
 
~ r0 , tr ) J(~
~ r, t) = µ0 J(~
Z
B(~  +  × r̂c dτ 0 .
4π rc2 crc

If the current changes slowly enough, we can do a Taylor expansion and stop at first derivative

~ r0 , tr ) = J(~
J(~ ~˙ r0 , t).
~ r0 , t) + (tr − t)J(~

Show that, in this approximation, the expression for the magnetic field is
~ r0 , t) × r̂c
µ0 Z J(~
~
B(~r, t) = dτ 0 .
4π rc2

That is, for slowly varying currents, Biot-Savart’s law hold with J~ evaluated at non-retarded
time!

4. Consider a point charge q moving in a circle of radius b with constant angular velocity
ω
~ = ωẑ. Assume that the center of the circle is the origin and the charge is on the positive
x-axis at t = 0. Calculate the electric and magnetic fields at the origin.

P.T.O.
 q
5. Consider a point charge q moving along x-axis. Its position is given by b2 + (ct)2 , where b
is a constant. Consider a space-time point (x, t), where x is to the right of the position
q of the
charge. An observer at this point ”sees” the charge when the position of the charge is b + c2 t2r .
2

Obtain an expression for tr in terms of b, c, x and t. Also calculate the Lienard-Wiechert scalar
potential for this point.

6∗ . It can be shown that a measurement of the electric and magnetic fields in a region of
space can be used to figure out the trajectory of the charge which created those fields. In the
following we assume that charge is positive.
~ = r̂c × E,
• Using cB ~ show that
√
~ =
r̂c · E E 2 − c2 B 2 .

• Using the above result, show that

√
~ ×B
E ~ +E
~ E 2 − c2 B 2
r̂c = .
E2

The expression for rc is more complicated. For completeness, I give the expression here.

qB ~ · (~rc × ~r˙c )
rc =
4π0 c2 B 2 − (q/c)B ~ · (~rc × ~r¨c )