5CCS2ECM Electricity and Magnetism

Coursework 1
Problem 1
Assume we have an infinite slab. We need to find the electric
field, so we draw a rectangular which we consider a Gaussian
surface with dimension 2 x∧α as shown in the following
diagram.
Applying Gauss’ law, we get:
q encl
∫ ⃗E ∙ d ⃗A = ε0

q encl=∫ ρ∙ dV =¿ ρ∙ dV ¿

We can eliminate the integral because the density is constant.

The area of the 2 surfaces is given by: A=2∙ α 2 and the volume is given by: V =2 x ∙α 2

ρ∙V
E¿ ∙ A=
ε0

2 ρ ∙V
E¿ ∙ 2 ∙ α =
ε0
2
2 ρ ∙2 x ∙ α
E¿ ∙ 2 ∙ α =
ε0
ρ∙ x
E¿ =
ε0

(a) At x=0 , we are inside the slab, therefore:

E¿ ( x=0 )=0

(b) At x=2 ∙10−3 m, we are inside the slab, therefore:

−15 −3
5.8 ∙ 10 ∙2 ∙10 −6 N
E¿ ( x =2∙ 10 ) =
−3
−12
=1.312∙ 10
8.84 ∙ 10 C
(c) At x=4.7 ∙10−3 m , we are inside the slab, therefore:

−15 −3
5.8 ∙ 10 ∙ 4.7 ∙ 10 −6 N
E¿ ( x =4.7 ∙ 10 ) =
−3
−12
=3.084 ∙ 10
8.84 ∙ 10 C

(d) At x=26 ∙ 10−3 m, we are outside the slab, therefore:

2
the volume becomes :V =d ∙ α
2
2 ρ∙d∙α ρ∙ d
∴ Eout ∙2 ∙ α = ⇒ Eout =
ε0 2 ∙ ε0

−15 −3
5.8 ∙ 10 ∙9.4 ∙10 −6 N
E out ( x=26 ∙ 10 ) =
−3
−12
=3.084 ∙10
2∙ 8.84 ∙ 10 C
 Problem 2

(a) We start by choosing a small segment at a distance x

from the origin, on the x−axis , whose length is dx . Let
α be the distance between P2 and dx .
∴ α =√ D 2+ x 2
The potential difference at point P1:
dq
dV =
4 π ∙ ε0 ∙ r
the distance between P1∧dx isr =x+ d

1 dq 1 λ ∙ dx
dV = ∙ = ∙
4 π ∙ ε 0 x +d 4 π ∙ ε 0 x+ d

To find the potential difference due to the rod, we integrate over the whole rod:

L
1 λ ∙ dx
V =∫ ∙
0 4 π ∙ ε 0 x +d

L
λ dx
¿ ∫
4 π ∙ ε 0 0 x+ d

λ L
¿ ∙ [ ln ( x+ d ) ] 0
4 π ∙ ε0

¿
λ
4 π ∙ ε0
∙ ln
L+d
d ( )
For the rod, we have:
Q= λ ∙ L

∴V=
Q
4 π ∙ ε0 ∙ L
∙ ln
d( )
L+d
(b)
−∂ V
E x= (24−41 book)
∂x

¿−
∂
[ Q
∂ x 4 π ∙ ε 0∙ L
∙ ln ( )]
L+ x
x

Q ∂
¿− ∙
4 π ∙ ε0 ∙ L ∂ x
[ ln ( L+ x )−ln ( x ) ]

Q 1 1
¿− ∙( − )
4 π ∙ ε 0 ∙ L L+ x x

(c) The direction of ⃗

E x is along the negative x−axis
(d) E y =E ∙sin ( 0 )=0 which is expected since the point P1 is along the same axis as the
plastic rod
(e) For a non-uniform charge density, we have:
dQ=λ ∙ dx=c ∙ x ∙dx , since λ=c ∙ x

1 dQ
V= ∙∫
4π ∙ε0 α

L
c x ∙ dx
¿ ∙∫
4 π ∙ ε 0 0 √ D2 + x 2

L
c 2 '
∙∫ ( √ D + x ) ∙ dx
2
¿
4 π ∙ ε0 0

c L
∙ [ √ D + x ]0
2 2
¿
4 π ∙ ε0

c
∙( √ D + L −√ D )
2 2 2
¿
4 π ∙ ε0

c
∙( √ D + L −D)
2 2
∴V=
4 π ∙ ε0
(f)
−∂V
E y= ( 24−41 book )
∂y
 ¿−
∂
[ c
∂ y 4 π ∙ ε0
∙( √ L + y − y )
2 2
]
¿−
c
4 π ∙ ε0
∙
( y
√ L + y2
−1
2 )
The electric field ⃗
E y is pointing in the positive direction of the y−axis therefore it is
positive:

∴ E y=
c
4 π ∙ ε0
∙
(√ y
L + y2
2
−1
)

(g) The shortest distance between P2 and the x−axis is the perpendicular from the point to
the plastic rod, which is along the y−axis. There is no component in the x direction for
the voltage equation.

Problem 3

We are given: α =2 cm , b=2 ∙ α , c=2.4 ∙ α , q1=+5 fC∧q 2=−q 1

(a)For a solid sphere with uniform charge the electric field is given by:
q
E= 3
∙r (23.20 book )
4 π ∙ ε0 ∙ α
for r ≤ α
(i) r =0 cm

q1 N
E= 3
∙ 0⇒ E=0
4 π ∙ ε0 ∙ α C

α
(ii) r =
2
q1 α
E= 3
∙
4 π ∙ ε0 ∙ α 2

q
¿ 2
8 π ∙ ε0 ∙ α
 −15
5 ∙ 10 N
¿ −12 −4
8 π ∙ 8.85 ∙10 ∙ 4 ∙ 10 C
−2 N
¿ 5.62 ∙10
C
(iii) r =α

q1
E= 3
∙α
4 π ∙ ε0 ∙ α
q1
¿ 2
4 π ∙ ε0 ∙ α
−15
5∙ 10 N
¿ −12 −4
4 π ∙ 8.85∙ 10 ∙ 4 ∙10 C
N
¿ 0.112
C
(iv) r =1.5∙ α

The formula for the electric field when a particle lies outside of our sphere α <r <b is given by:

1 q
E= ∙ 2 (23.15 book )
4 π ε0 r
−15
5∙ 10 N N
∴ E= −12 2 −4
=0.05
4 π ∙ 8.85 ∙10 ∙ (1.5 ∙ 2 ) ∙ 10 C C

(v) r =2.3∙ α ⇒ b<r < c which means the particle is inside the conducting shell but from Gauss’
Law, we know that the electric field inside a conductor is 0
N
∴ E=0
C
(vi) r =3.2∙ α ⇒ c< r which means that the particle is outside our conducting shell

To be able to find the electric field at this point, draw a spherical Gaussian
surface with the same centre as the other Gaussian sphere as shown in
the figure.
The total charge enclosed by this sphere would be given by:

∑ qi=q1 +q 2=q1 −q1=0

1 q
E= ∙
4 π ε0 r2
 N
∴ E=0
C
(b)
(i) We need to find the net charge on the inner surface of the shell
Draw a Gaussian sphere inside the spherical conducting shell
Inside the shell
N
E=0 ⇒ Φ=0
C
ε 0 ∙ Φ=q enc (23−6)
⇒ q enc =0 C
−15
q sphere + qinner =0 ⇒ qinner =−qsphere =−5 ∙ 10 C
(ii) We need to find the net charge on the outer surface of the shell

∑ qshell =q 2=−5 ∙ 10−15 C

∴ q¿ + q out =−5 ∙10−15 C

⇒ q out =−5∙ 10−15−( −5∙ 10−15 ) =0 C