Assignment 4

Contents
Problem 4.1: Stored energy of a cylindrical capacitor (midterm 2018/2019) . . 1
Problem 4.2: Electromagnetic energy stored in a solenoid . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Due Date: 6 October 2022

Problems 4.1 is the ‘part 1’ problem treated in the tutorial class, problem 4.2 is the ‘part 2’ problem to
be worked on at home.

Problem 4.1: Stored energy of a cylindrical capacitor (midterm 2018/2019)

Consider the cylindrical capacitor shown in the drawing. The length is L, the inner radius is R1 , the
outer radius is R2 , and the charge on the inner and outer plates is +Q and −Q, respectively.

4.1.a. Show that the electric field E inside the capacitor (R1 ≤ ρ ≤ R2 ) is given by:
Q
E= ρ̂
2πε0 Lρ

4.1.b. Find an expression for the capacitance C = Q/V (with V the voltage across the plates) in terms
of the geometrical parameters L, R1 , and R2 .

4.1.c. Now, the charge is slowly increased over time t. Show that the magnetic field B inside the
capacitor (R1 ≤ ρ ≤ R2 ) is given by:
µ0 Iz
B=− φ̂
2πLρ

1
 AP3071-G - Assignment 4

where I is the current that charges up the capacitor. You may assume that the current flows towards
the cylindrical plates in equal amounts from the top and bottom and that the lead wires that supply
the current (not shown in the drawing) have no impact on the fields.

4.1.d. Compute the Poynting vector inside the capacitor (R1 ≤ ρ ≤ R2 ).

4.1.e. Compute the total flow of electromagnetic energy into the capacitor.

4.1.f. Prove that the electromagnetic energy flow is consistent with a stored energy inside the capacitor
Uel = Q2 /2C.

Problem 4.2: Electromagnetic energy stored in a solenoid

Consider a solenoid with N turns, radius R, extending over a length d along the z-axis. The current
I(t) depends on time t and is slowly increased from zero to its final value. We assume that the current
is flowing through the solenoid without any Ohmian losses, i.e. we neglect the resistance.

4.2.a. Use Ampère’s law to prove that the magnetic field inside the solenoid is given by:
µ0 N I
B= ẑ
d
Hint: neglect the field outside the solenoid. In your analysis you can neglect the ‘displacement current’
term in the Ampère-Maxwell law (the term involving the rate of change of the electric field). Give a
reason why this could be a reasonable approximation.

4.2.b. Use this expression for the magnetic field to find the total flux Φ through the solenoid.
The self-inductance is defined by the relation Φ = LI. How does L depend on the geometry at hand (as
characterized by N , d, and R)?

4.2.c. Use Faraday’s law to find an expression for the electric field inside the solenoid as a function
of the time derivative of the current dI/dt.

Version: September 26, 2022 2

AP3071-G - Assignment 4

4.2.d. Find an expression for the Poynting vector inside the solenoid.

4.2.e. Use the expression for the Poynting vector to prove that the total flow of electromagnetic
energy into the solenoid space is given by:
dU dI
= LI ,
dt dt
implying that the stored energy is U = LI 2 /2.

3 Version: September 26, 2022