PYL101: Electromagnetics & Quantum

Mechanics
Electric Fields in Matter
Problem set 3

March 21, 2023

Exercise 1.
Show that the electric field of a physical dipole in the far-field can be written
in the coordinate-free form,
1
Edip. (r) ≈ [3(p · r̂)r̂ − p]
4πϵ0 r3

Exercise 2.
According to quantum mechanics, the electron cloud for a hydrogen atom in the
ground state has a charge density
q −2r/a
ρ(r) = e
πa3
where q is the charge of the electron and a is the Bohr radius. Find the atomic
polarizability of such an atom.

Exercise 3.
A point charge q is situated a large distance r from a neutral atom of polariz-
ability α. Find the force of attraction between them.

Exercise 4.
Show that the interaction energy of two dipoles separated by a displacement r
is
1 1
U= [p1 · p2 − 3(p1 · r̂)(p2 · r̂)]
4πϵ0 r3

1
Exercise 5.
A thick spherical shell (inner radius a, outer radius b) is made of dielectric
material with a “frozen-in” polarization
k
P (r) = r̂
r
where k is a constant and r is the distance from the center. (There is no free
charge in the problem.)
• Locate all the bound charge, and use Gauss’s law to calculate the field it
produces.

• Find D ,and then get E.

Exercise 6.

Suppose the field inside a large piece of dielectric is E0 , so that the electric
displacement is D0 = ϵ0 E0 + P .
• Now a small spherical cavity (Fig (a)) is hollowed out of the material.Find
the field at the center of the cavity in terms of E0 and P . Also find the
displacement at the center of the cavity in terms of D0 and P . Assume
the polarization is “frozen in,” so it doesn’t change when the cavity is
excavated.
• Do the same for a long needle-shaped cavity running parallel to P (Fig
(b)).

• Do the same for a thin wafer-shaped cavity perpendicular to P (Fig (c))

2
Exercise 7.
A certain coaxial cable consists of a copper wire, radius a, surrounded by a
concentric copper tube of inner radius c (Fig. 26). The space between is partially
filled (from b out to c) with material of dielectric constant ϵr , as shown. Find
the capacitance per unit length of this cable.

Exercise 8.

A spherical conductor, of radius a, carries a charge Q (Fig.). It is surrounded

by linear dielectric material of susceptibility χe , out to radius b. Find the energy
of this configuration.