PHY 324: Electrodynamics | Assignment 2

Deadline: 3rd February 2015, 15:00

Late submission is equal to no submission

1. The potential on the axis of a uniformly charged disc of radius R and the surface charge density
is
V (r, 0) =

2
( r + R2 r)
20

Use this to obtain the potential of the disc at points off the axis, for r > R.
2. A charged sphere of radius a centered at the origin carries charge density

(r, ) = 0

a
(a 2r) sin()
r2

where 0 is a constant, and r, are the usual spherical coordinates. Find the approximate
potential for points on the z axis , far from the sphere.
3. A charge Q is distributed uniformly along the z axis from z=-a to z=a. Show that the electric
potential at a point (r, ) is given by


1  a 4
Q 1
1  a 2
P2 (cos ) +
P4 (cos ) + . . .
V (r, ) =
1+
40 r
3 r
5 r
for r > a.
4. In the class, we derived the potential due a spherical shell of radius R which carried the surface
charge density = k cos . Calculate the dipole moment of this charge distribution. Estimate
the potential, at points far from the sphere. Compare it with the potential computed in the
class.
5. Show that the quadrupole moment of a charge distribution is independent of origin if the
monopole and dipole moments are zero.
6. An electric dipole is situated at the origin and points in the z direction. An electric charge is
released from rest at a point in the xy plane. Describe the motion of the charge.

7. Consider an infinite parallel-plate cpacitor separated by distance d. Let the suface charge
density on the lower plate is and upper plate is . Determine the force per unit area on
the upper plate.
8. Fizeaus Experiment
Read about Fizeaus ether drag experiment and explain along with the experimental set-up.
9. In the Michelson-Morley experiment, the length of each arm of the interferometer was 11 m,
and sodium light of wavelength 590 nm was used. The experiment would have revealed any
fringe shift larger that 0.005 fringe. What upper limit does this place on the speed of the earth
through the supposed ether?
10. Show that the Lorentz transformation corresponds to a rotation of coordinates (x,ict) through
a angle = tan1 (i) where = v/c.
11. Derive the relativistic accelaration transformation

a0x =

ax (1 2 )3/2
(1 ux /c)3

Show that for low velocities, it reduces to the Newtons second law of motion.
12. Suppose that a particle moves relative to the primed system with the velocity u in the x-y
plane so that its trajectory makes an angle 0 with the x axis.
Show that the equations of motion in S and S are given by x = ut cos(), y = ut sin(), z =
0 and x0 = u0 t0 cos(0 ), y 0 = u0 t0 sin(0 ), z 0 = 0.
Show using the Lorentz transformations equations that the magnitide and direction of the
velocity in S is given by

u2 =

u02 + v 2 + 2u0 v cos(0 ) (u02 v 2 /c2 ) sin2 ()

[1 + (u0 v/c2 ) cos(0 )]2

and
p
u0 sin(0 ) 1 2
tan() =
u0 cos(0 ) + v
How is this result related to the relativistic equation for the aberration of light?