2-1

Solutions for Chapter 2 Problems

1. Vectors in the Cartesian Coordinate System
P2.1: Given P(4,2,1) and APQ=2ax +4ay +6az, find the point Q.
2. Coulombs Law, Electric Field Intensity, and Field Lines
P2.4: Suppose Q1(0.0, -3.0m, 0.0) = 4.0nC, Q2(0.0, 3.0m, 0.0) = 4.0nC, and Q3(4.0m,
0.0, 0.0) = 1.0nC. (a) Find the total force acting on the charge Q 3. (b) Repeat the problem
after changing the charge of Q2 to 4.0nC. (c) Find the electric field intensity for parts (a)
and (b).
(a) F13
so

Q1Q2
a13 , where R13 = 4 ax + 3 ay =, R13 = 5m, a13 = 0.8 ax + 0.6 ay.
4 o R132

4a 3a
4 x10 C 1x10 C

4 10 F 36 m 5m
9

F13

FV NM
C VC

1.15 x109 a x 0.86 x109 a y N .

9
9
Similarly, F23 1.15 x10 ax 0.86 x10 a y N , so FTOT 2.3a x nN

9
9
(b) with Q2 = -4 nC, F13 is unchanged but F23 1.15 x10 ax 0.86 x10 a y N , so

FTOT 1.7a y nN .
9
FTOT 2.3x10 ax N VC
V

2.3a x .
(c) Ea
-9
Q3
m
1x10 C Nm

Likewise, Eb 1.7a y

V
.
m

Fig. P2.4
4. Line Charges and the Cylindrical Coordinate System
P2.12: Convert the following points from Cartesian to cylindrical coordinates:
a. P(0.0, 4.0, 3.0)
b. P(-2.0, 3.0, 2.0)
c. P(4.0, -3.0, -4.0)
2
2
1 4
o
o
(a) 0 4 4, tan 90 , z 3, so P(4.0,90 ,3.0)
0

3
2
2
1
o
o
(b) 2 3 3.6, tan 124 , z 2, so P(3.6,124 , 2.0)
2

2-2
3
o
o
37 , z 4, so P(5.0, 37 , 4.0)
4

2
2
1
(c) 4 3 5, tan

P2.13:
a.
b.
c.

Convert the following points from cylindrical to Cartesian coordinates:

P(2.83, 45.0, 2.00)
P(6.00, 120., -3.00)
P(10.0, -90.0, 6.00)

(a)
x cos 2.83cos 45o 2.00
y sin 2.83sin 45o 2.00
z z 2.00
so P (2.00, 2.00, 2.00).
(b)
x cos 6.00 cos120o 3.00
y sin 6.00sin120o 5.20
z z 3.00
so P (3.00,5.20, 3.00).
(c)
x cos 10.0 cos(90.0o ) 0
y sin 10.0sin(90.0o ) 10.0
z z 6.00
so P (0, 10.0, 6.00).
P2.15: A line charge with charge density 2.00 nC/m exists at y = -2.00 m, x = 0.00. (a) A
charge Q = 8.00 nC exists somewhere along the y-axis. Where must you locate Q so that
the total electric field is zero at the origin? (b) Suppose instead of the 8.00 nC charge of
part (a) that you locate a charge Q at (0.00, 6.00m, 0.00). What value of Q will result in a
total electric field intensity of zero at the origin?
(a) The contributions to E from the line and point charge must cancel, or E E L EQ .
2nC / m
L
V
E

18
ay
L

9
For the line:
2 o
m
2 10 F
2
m

36 m
and for the point charge, where the point is located a distance y along the y-axis, we have:
8nC a y
Q
72
EQ

2 a y

y
2
9
4 o y
4 10 F
y2 y
36 m
Therefore:

2-3
72
72
18, or y
2m.
2
y
18
So Q 0,2.0m,0
(b)
Q
4 o 6
Q

18,

18 36
9

72nC.
Fig. P2.15

P2.16: You are given two z-directed line charges of charge density +1 nC/m at x = 0, y =
-1.0 m, and charge density 1.0 nC/m at x = 0, y = 1.0 m. Find E at P(1.0m,0,0).
The situation is represented by Figure P2.16a. A better 2-dimensional view in Figure
P2.16b is useful for solving the problem.
a a y
L1
E1
a , and a 2 x
.
2 o
2

1x10 C
9

E1

2 10 F

36 m
So ETOT = 18 ay V/m.

2m

a y FV
V
9 a x a y , and E 9 -a a V .
2
x
y
C
m
2
m

P2.18: A segment of line charge L =10 nC/m exists on the y-axis from the origin to y =
+3.0 m. Determine E at the point (3.0, 0, 0)m.
It is clear from a sketch of the problem in Figure P2.18a that the resultant field will be
directed in the x-y plane. The situation is redrawn in a temporary coordinate system in

Fig. P2.16a
Figure P2.18b.

Fig. P2.16b

2-4

Fig. P2.18b

Fig. P2.18a

We

dz a za z
E L
E a E z a z .
4 o 2 z 2 3 2

have

from

Eqn

(2.34)

For E we have:

E L
4 o

dz

L
4 o

2 z 2 2

With = 3, we then have E = 21.2 V/m.

For Ez:
L
Ez
4 o

zdz

z2

L
4 o

8.79

z 0

V
m

Thus we have ETOT = 21 a 8.8 az V/m.

Converting back to the original coordinates, we have ETOT = 21 ax 8.8 ay V/m.
5. Surface and Volume Charge
P2.19: In free space, there is a point charge Q = 8.0 nC at (-2.0,0,0)m, a line charge L =
10 nC/m at y = -9.0m, x = 0m, and a sheet charge s = 12. nC/m2 at z = -2.0m. Determine
E at the origin.
The situation is represented by Figure P2.19, and
the total field is ETOT = EQ + EL + ES.
8 x109 C a x

Q
EQ
aR
9
2
4 o R 2
4 10 F
2m
36 m
V
18a x
m

Fig. P2.19

2-5

EL

10 x109 C m a y
L
a
9
2 o
2 10 F
9m
36 m

20a y
Es

V
m

12 x109 C m2 a
s
aN
z
9
2 o
2 10 F
36 m

V
m
So: Etot = 18 ax + 20 ay + 680 az V/m.
679a z

P2.20: An infinitely long line charge (L = 21 nC/m) lies along the z-axis. An infinite
area sheet charge (s = 3 nC/m2) lies in the x-z plane at y = 10 m. Find a point on the yaxis where the electric field intensity is zero.
We have ETOT = EL + ES.
a
a
EL L L y
2 o 2 o y

21 x10

C / m

2 10 F

36 m

ay

378
ay
y

9
2
s a N 3 x10 C m a y
Es

9
2 o
2 10 F
36 m
54 a y
so
378
54 0, or y 7.
y
Therefore, P(0, 7m, 0).

Fig. P2.20

6. Electric Flux Density

P2.29: Given D = 2a + sin az C/m2, find the electric flux passing through the surface
defined by 2.0 m, 90. 180, and z = 4.0 m.
EgdS, dS d d a z

2 a sin a z g d d a z d

sin d 6C

2-6
7. Gausss Law and Applications
P2.31: Given a 3.00 mm radius solid wire centered on the z-axis with an evenly
distributed 2.00 coulombs of charge per meter length of wire, plot the electric flux
density D versus radial distance from the z-axis over the range 0 9 mm.
2 C m
C
70.7 x103 3 , a 3mm .003m
2
a
m
Qenc
DgdS D a g d dza 2 LD , where L is the length of the Gaussian
surface. Note that this expression for Qenc is valid for both Gaussian surfaces.
GS1 ( < a):
For a 1 m length, v

Qenc v dv v d d dz v 2 L

v L v

for a.
2 L
2
GS2 ( > a):
v a 2 1
2
Qenc v a L, D
for a.
2
so D

P2.32: Given a 2.00 cm radius solid wire centered on the z-axis with a charge density v
= 6 C/cm3 (when is in cm), plot the electric flux density D versus radial distance from
the z-axis over the range 0 8 cm.
Choose Gaussian surface length L, and as usual we have
Qenc
DgdS = D a g d dza 2 L D , valid for both Gaussian surfaces.
2
3
In GS1 ( < a): Qenc v dv 6 d d dz 4 L ,

4 L 3
2 2 for a.
so D
2 L

3
For GS2 (> a): Qenc 4 La , D

2a 3
for a.

2-7

Fig. P2.32

9. Electric Potential
P2.42: A sheet of charge density s = 100 nC/m2 occupies the x-z plane at y = 0. (a) Find
the work required to move a 2.0 nC charge from P(-5.0m, 10.m, 2.0m) to M(2.0m, 3.0m,
0.0). (b)Find VMP.
M

(a) W Q EgdL; so we need E for the sheet charge.

P

100 x109 C

s
FV
V
E
aN
a y 5.65 x103 a y
12
2 o
m
2 8.854 x10 F m C
Notice that we are only concerned with movement in the y-direction. We then have:
y 3
V

J
W 2 x109 C 5.65 x103 a y gdya y
79 J
m
CV

y 10
(b) VMP

79 J CV 39.5kV ; so V 40kV .
W

MP
Q 2 x109 C J

P2.45: A 100 nC point charge is located at the origin. (a) Determine the potential
difference VBA between the point A(0.0,0.0,-6.0)m and point B(0.0,2.0,0.0)m. (b) How
much work would be done to move a 1.0 nC charge from point A to point B against the
electric field generated by the 100 nC point charge?
A

(a) VBA EgdL.

A

2-8
The potential difference is only a function of radial distance from the origin. Letting ra =
6m and rb = 2m, we then have
rb
Q
Q 1 1
VBA
a gdra r
300V .

2 r
4 o r
4 o rb ra
ra
9
(b) W Q2VBA 10 C 300V

J
300nJ
CV

P2.47: For an infinite length line of charge density L = 20 nC/m on the z-axis, find the
potential difference VBA between point B(0, 2m, 0) and point A(0, 1m, 0).
B

VBA EgdL; E
A

L
a , dL d a ,
2 o

L
L
a gd a
ln 2 250V
2

o
o
A

so VBA

P2.48: Find the electric field at point P(0.0,0.0,8.0m) resulting from a surface charge
density s = 5.0 nC/m2 existing on the z = 0 plane from = 2.0 m to = 6.0 m. Assume
V = 0 at a point an infinite distance from the origin.
(Method 1)
For a ring of charge it was previously found that
L aha z
E
.
3
2
2
2
2 o a h
We can then break up our disk into differential rings (see Figure P2.48), each contributing
dE as:
h
d
dE S
a z , where we've used L S d .
2 o 2 h 2 3 2

So we then have
ha
d
E S z
2 o
2 h2

.
2

This is easy to integrate if we let u = 2 + h2, then du = 2 d, and we have

3
ha
ha 2 S ha z
E S z u 2 du S z

4 o
4 o
2 o
u

Solving, we arrive at
S h
1
1
E

.
2 o b 2 h 2
a 2 h 2

2 h2

2-9
Upon inserting the appropriate values we find E = 48 V/m az.

Fig. P2.48
(method 2)
Find an expression for potential and then evaluate the gradient at the point.
S d d
dQ
V
, R 2 h 2 , dQ S d d , so V=
4 o R
4 o 2 h 2
V=

S
2 o

S
2 o

2 h2

S
2 o

h
Now we let h = z and E V ;
2 2 1 2 2 2 1 2
E S
b z z a z a z
2 o z
a

b 2 h 2 a 2 h 2 .

1
S 1 2 2 12

1 2

2 2
b

z
2
z

z
2 z a z S

2 o 2
2
2 o

Plugging in the values we find E = 48 V/m az.

z
b2 z 2

az
a 2 z 2

12. Boundary Conditions

P2.62: For y < 0, r1 = 4.0 and E1 = 3ax + 6ay + 4az V/m. At y = 0, s = 0.25 nC/m2. If
r2 = 5.0 for y > 0, find E2.
(g) E2 = 3ax + 20.7ay + 4az V/m
E1 = 3ax + 6ay + 4az V/m
(a) EN1 = 6ay
(f) EN2 = DN2/5o = 20.7ay
(b) ET1 = 3ax + 4az
(c) ET2 = ET1 = 3ax + 4az
(e) DN2 = 0.92 ay
(d) DN1 = r1oEN1 = 24o ay
(e) a 21 g D1 D2 s , -a y g DN 1 DN 2 a y s , DN 2 DN 1 s
DN 2 s DN 1 0.25

109 F
nC
nC
nC

24

2 0.92 2
2
m
m
m
36 m

2-10

P2.63: For z 0, r1 = 9.0 and for z > 0, r2 = 4.0. If E1 makes a 30 angle with a normal
to the surface, what angle does E2 make with a normal to the surface?
Refer to Figure P2.63.
ET 1 E1 sin 1 , ET 2 E2 sin 2 , and ET 1 ET 2
also
DN 1 r1 o E1 cos 1 , DN 2 r 2 o E2 cos 2 , and DN 1 DN 2 since s 0
Therefore
ET 1 ET 2

, and after routine math we find 2 tan 1 r 2 tan 1

DN 1 DN 2
r1

Using this formula we obtain for this problem 2 = 14.

Fig. P2.63

P2.64: A plane defined by 3x + 2y + z = 6 separates two dielectrics. The first dielectric,

on the side of the plane containing the origin, has r1 = 3.0 and E1 = 4.0az V/m. The other
dielectric has r2 = 6.0. Find E2.
We first use gradient to find a normal to the planar surface.
Let F = 3x + 2y + z 6 = 0.
F 3a x 2a y a z , and F 14,
F
0.802a x 0.534a y 0.267a z .
F
Now we can work the boundary condition problem.
E1 4a z , E N1 E1 ga N a N 0.857a x 0.570a y 0.285a z .
so a N

ET 1 E1 E N 1 0.857a x 0.570a y 3.715a z , ET 2 ET 1

D N 1 r1 o E N 1 o 2.571a x 1.710a y 0.855a z , and D N 2 D N 1
EN 2

DN 2 DN 2

0.429a x 0.285a y 0.143a z

r 2 o 6 o

Finally we have E 2 ET 2 E N 2 0.43a x 0.29a y 3.8a z

V
.
m