PHYS 332 Homework #1

Maxwell’s Equations, Poynting Vector,

Stress Energy Tensor, Electromagnetic Momentum,
and Angular Momentum

1 : Wangsness 21-1. A parallel plate capacitor consists of two circular plates of area S (an
effectively infinite area) with a vacuum between them. It is connected to a battery of
constant emf . The plates are then slowly oscillated so that the separation d between
them is described by d = d0 + d1 sin ωt. Find the magnetic field H ~ between the
plates produced by the displacement current. Similarly, find H ~ if the capacitor is first
disconnected from the battery and then the plates are oscillated in the same manner.
~ and B
2 : Wangsness 21-7. Find the form of Maxwell’s equations in terms of E ~ for a linear
isotropic but non-homogeneous medium. Do not assume that Ohm’s Law is valid.

3 : Wangsness 21-9. Figure 21-3 shows a charging parallel plate capacitor. The plates are
circular with radius a (effectively infinite). Find the Poynting vector on the bounding
surface of region 1 of the figure. Find the total rate at which energy is entering region 1
and then show that it equals the rate at which the energy of the capacitor is increasing.

4a: Extra-2. You have a parallel plate capacitor (assumed infinite) with charge densities
σ and −σ and plate separation d. The capacitor moves with velocity v in a direction
perpendicular to the area of the plates (NOT perpendicular to the area vector for the
~
plates). Determine S.

b: This time the capacitor moves with velocity v parallel to the area of the plates. De-
~ Then determine the power (P ) passing through a cross-sectional area (of
termine S.
width l) between the plates and perpendicular to v. Lastly, determine dUdt
= U̇ where
U is the total electromagnetic energy (not the energy density) which passes through
that cross section in a time t and show that U̇ = P/2. The other half of the power is
transmitted to the plates themselves. You may assume that v  c.

5 : Wangsness 21-10. Suppose that the very long coaxial line of Figure 20-14 is used as
a transmission line between a battery and resistor. The battery of emf  has its two
terminals connected to the two conductors at one end of the line. At the other end
of the line, the two conductors are connected through a resistor of resistance R. Find
S in the region between the conductors. Show that the total power passing across a
cross section of the line equals 2 /R and interpret this result. Will the direction of the
energy flow change if the connections to the battery are interchanged?

6a: Griffiths 8-9. A very long solenoid of radius a and n turns per unit length carries a
current Is . Coaxial with the solenoid, at radius b  a is a circular ring of wire with
resistance R. When the current in the solenoid is gradually decreased, a current Ir
 dIs
is induced in the ring. Determine Ir in terms of dt
. You should assume that any
displacement currents are negligible.

b: The power Ir2 R delivered to the ring must have come from the solenoid. Confirm this
by calculating the Poynting vector at ρ = a. Integrate this Poynting vector over the
surface of the solenoid and verify that you recover the correct total power. (Note that
the electric field is due to the changing flux in the solenoid while the magnetic field is
due to the current in the ring. Since b  a, you can assume that you just need the
magnetic field on the axis of a ring of current.)

7: Griffiths 8-4b. Consider two equal but opposite point charges separated by a distance
2a. Construct the infinite plane equidistant from the two charges and the infinite
hemisphere that surrounds one of the charges. Integrate the Maxwell stress tensor
over this infinite surface and effectively verify Coulomb’s Law.

8 : Griffiths 8-5. Consider an infinite parallel-plate capacitor, with the lower plate (at
z = −d/2) carrying a charge density −σ, and the upper plate (at z = +d/2) carrying
a charge density +σ.

a: Determine all nine elements of the stress tensor in the region between the plates.
Display your answer as a 3 × 3 matrix:
 
Txx Txy Txz
 Tyx Tyy Tyz 
Tzx Tzy Tzz

b: Determine the force per unit area on the top plate.

c: What is the momentum per unit area, per unit time, crossing the xy plane (or any
other plane parallel to that one, between the plates)?

d: At the plates, this momentum is absorbed and the plates recoil (unless there is some
nonelectrical force holding them in position). Find the recoil force per unit area on the
top plate, and compare your answer to (b). (Note: This is not an additional force, but
rather an alternative way of calculating the same force–in (b) we obtained it from the
force law, and now we are obtaining it from conservation of momentum.)

9a: Extra-1. You have an infinite current I in the z-direction. And similarly you have
~ (Note that I is
an infinite line charge λ coincident with that current. Determine S.
not necessarily related to λ. You could easily have a net positive charge on a wire
but still have electrons creating the current. So assume that λ and I are independent
parameters.)

b: Determine the power passing through a donut-shaped cross section of inner radius R1
and outer radius R2 surrounding the current. What happens to this power if R1 → 0?
Does this make sense? Explain.
c: Determine the electromagnetic momentum density due to this configuration and make
a drawing illustrating the momentum density vectors.

d: Determine the total electromagnetic angular momentum. You should be able to do

this without actually doing any integration.