PHY 5346

HW Set 2 Solutions – Kimel

4. 2.1 We will work in cylidrical coordinate, (ρ, z, φ, with the charge q located at the point
⃗
d = dẑ , and the conducting plane is in the z = 0 plane.

Then we know from class the potential is given by

1 q q
φx⃗ = −
4π 0 x−⃗
⃗ d x+⃗
⃗ d

q ∂ 1 1
Ez = − −
4π 0 ∂z z − d 2 + ρ 2
1/2
z + d 2 + ρ 2
1/2

Ez =
q z−d − z+d
4π 0 3/2 3/2
z − d 2 + ρ 2 z + d 2 + ρ 2
a) σ =  0 E z z = 0

σ = 0
q −d − +d =−
q 1
4π 0 −d + ρ 22 3/2
+d + ρ 2
2 3/2 2πd 2 ρ 2
3
1 +
2
d
2

−1
Plotting 3
gives
1 2 +r 2 2

1 2 r 3 4 5
0

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1

b) Force of charge on plane

⃗= 1 q−q −ẑ  = 1 q2 ̂
F z
4π 0 2d 2 4 × 4π 0 d 2
c)
2

F = w = 0 E2 = σ2 = 1 −
q 1 = 1 q2
A 2 2 0 2 0 2πd 2 ρ 2
3
8 0
π2d4 1 + ρ2 3
12 + d
2
d2

q2 ∞ ρ q2 q2
F = 2π
8 0 π 2 d 4
∫0 ρ2 3
dρ = 2π
8 0 π 2 d 4
1 d2
4
= 1
4 × 4π 0 d 2
1+ d2
d)
∞ q2 ∞ q2
W= ∫ d Fdz = 4 × 4π 0
∫d dz =
z2 4 × 4π 0 d
e)
qiqj q2
W= 1 1
2 4π 0 ∑ |x⃗i − ⃗
xj |
=−
2 × 4π 0 d
i,j,i≠j

Notice parts d) and e) are not equal in magnitude, because in d) the image moves when q moves.

f) 1 Angstrom = 10 −10 m, q = e = 1. 6 × 10 −19 C.

q2 −19
W= =e e = e 1. 6 × 10−10 9 × 10 9 V = 3.6 eV
4 × 4π 0 d 4 × 4π 0 d 4 × 10