PY2T10 Electricity and Magnetism 12 Lectures

Dr. C. Patterson
2.48 Lloyd Building
Charles.Patterson@tcd.ie

Course text

Electromagnetism, 2nd Edn. Grant and Phillips (Wiley)

Topics and reading in Grant and Phillips

1). Vector Operators and Vector Analysis

2). Gauss’ Law Ch. 1

3). Ampere’s Law Ch. 4 (pp 130-150)

4). Faraday’s Law Ch. 6 (pp 212-234)

5). Maxwell’s Equations in Vacuum Ch. 10, 11 (pp348-360, 364-375)

6). Dielectrics Ch. 2 (pp 49-60, 67-82)

7). Magnetism in Matter Ch. 5 (pp 166-194)

8). Maxwell’s Equations in Matter Ch 11 (pp 364-396)

 Units in Electromagnetism

Classical Electrodynamics, J. D. Jackson

Basic law is Coulomb’s Law

F1 = k1qq’/r2 (1)

Constant of proportionality k1, magnitude and dimensions are determined by the

definition of the unit of charge. Since F1 has dimensions of MLT-2, k1qq’ must have
dimensions of ML3T-2.

The electric field is defined as the force per unit charge.

E = k1q/r2 (2)

Force per unit length dF2/dℓ between two parallel current carrying wires (I and I’)
separated by distance d

dF2/dℓ = 2k2I I’/d (3)

From (1), (3) k1/k2 has dimension L2T-2 (velocity squared) k1/k2 = c2

Magnetic induction is derived from Ampere’s law.

B=2k2 αI/d

k1 k2 α

MKSA 1/4πεo=10-7 c2 μo/4π=10-7 1

Gaussian 1 c-2 (T2L-2) c (TL-1)

Physical quantity Symbol MKSA unit

Charge q 1 Coulomb
Charge density ρ 1 Coulomb m-3
Current I 1 Ampere (amp.)
Current Density J 1 amp m-2
Electric field E 1 volt m-1
Potential φ 1 volt
Polarisation P 1 Coulomb m-2
Displacement D 1 Coulomb m-2
Capacitance C 1 farad
Magnetic flux φ, F 1 Weber
Magnetic induction B 1 Tesla
Magnetic field H 1 amp m-1
Magnetisation M 1 amp m-1
Inductance I 1 Henry
 PY2T10 Electricity and Magnetism Tutorial Problem Sheet

Problems for first tutorial

1. (a) Three charges -q +2q -q which form an electric quadrupole are placed on a line
with equal spacing a (equivalent to two electric dipoles with opposite sense). Obtain
an expression for the potential at the general point (r,θ) for r>>a.

2. Two molecules each have a dipole moment p pointing along their line of centres
with the same sense. How does the force between the molecules vary with their
separation r? What is the potential energy due to the dipole-dipole interaction when r
= 3.1 .10-10 m. p water = 6.2 . 10-30 Cm.

3. The electric field in a dielectric (ε = 2.6) makes an angle of 30˚ with the normal to
the boundary with a second dielectric (ε = 1.8). Calculate the angle between the
electric field and the normal in this dielectric.
 Problems for second tutorial

1. A small sphere is uniformly charged throughout its volume and is rotating

with constant angular velocity. Determine its magnetic moment in terms of the
total charge Q, the angular momentum of the sphere L and its mass M.

1 π
m= ∫ r x j(r) dr
2 all space ∫ sin
3
θ dθ = 4 / 3
0

2. Positive charge leaves one plate of a parallel plate capacitor which is

discharging through a resistor. A surface S encloses one plate of the capacitor.
At a certain time the rate of change of charge on the capacitor is I Amps.
Show that the magnitude of the displacement current is equal to the
conduction current I.

C
S

3. A block of dielectric (ε = 3.2) has dimensions 5 cm square and 12 mm thick.

A total charge of 0.1 micro coulomb (inserted by uniform electron
bombardment of one square face) lies within a 2 mm thick layer which is
equidistant from both square faces. Calculate the bound charge density (a) in
this layer and (b) at either square face of the block.
 Extra tutorial questions for PY2T10

1. (a) Give a brief explanation of the terms polarisation and displacement as

they apply to a dielectric.
4 marks
A slab of dielectric of relative permittivity ε is placed in a uniform electric field
Eo whose field lines make an angle θ with a normal to the surface of the slab.
The region surrounding the slab is a vacuum.

Eo

(b) What is the density of polarisation charge on the surface of the slab?
Neglect end effects.
2 marks
(c) Find the direction of the field inside the slab and verify your result using the
boundary condition relation tan(θ1))/tan(θ2) = ε1/ε2.
4 marks
 Extra tutorial questions for PY2T10

2. (a) State Faraday’s Law in its integral and differential forms in words and in
equations.
2 marks
(b) Use Stoke’s theorem to show how the differential form of Faraday’s law
may be obtained from the integral form.
2 marks
(c) Show that the time average of the energy density in a monochromatic
linearly polarised plane wave moving in an isotropic non-conducting medium
is distributed equally between the electric and magnetic fields. The ratio
between electric and magnetic field strengths for an electromagnetic wave in
matter is
Eo
B o = με , where μ and ε are the relative permeability and permittivity.
c
You may assume that μ = 1.
3 marks
(d) Show that in a conducting medium the average energy in the magnetic
field is greater than in the electric field.
3 marks