Jackson 3.

5 Homework Problem Solution

Dr. Christopher S. Baird
University of Massachusetts Lowell

PROBLEM:
A hollow sphere of inner radius a has the potential specified on its surface to be =V , . Prove
the equivalence of the two forms of solution for the potential inside the sphere:

a a 2 r 2 V ' , '
(a) x=
4
r a 22 a r cos 3/ 2
2
d'

where cos =cos cos 'sin sin 'cos ' .

l l

r Alm= d 'Y *lm ' , ' V ' , '
(b) x= Alm Y lm , where
l =0 m=l a

SOLUTION:
The first solution is just the Green function method solution and the second is the Laplace equation
solution. Let us solve both.

The spherical Green function was found using the method of images to be:

1 1
G x , x ' =
xx ' x ' a
a
x x '
x'
In spherical coordinates this becomes:

1 1
G x , x ' =
x x ' 2 x x ' cos x ' x 2a 22 x x ' cos

2 2 2

2
a

where cos =cos cos 'sin sin 'cos '

The normal derivative of the spherical Green function for the internal problem, evaluated at the
sphere's surface, is found to be:

x 2 a 2
[ ]
dG
dn' x' =a
= 2 2
a x a 2 x a cos
3 /2

The general solution for the Green function method is:

 x=
1
4 0
x ' G D d 3 x '
1
4

d GD
d n'
da '
There is no charge density, so this reduces down to:

x=
1
4

d GD
d n'
da '

1 d GD 2
x= a d'
4 d n'

2 2
a a r
x=
4
r 2aV22
' , '
r a cos 3/ 2
d ' where cos =cos cos 'sin sin 'cos '

If we instead try to solve the Laplace equation, we start with the general solution (as derived
previously) in terms of Spherical Harmonics Ylm:

l
r , ,= Al , m r l B l ,m r l1 Y lm ,
l =0 m=l

The region of interest includes the origin, so in order to have a valid solution there, Bl,m must be zero

l
r , ,= Al , m r l Y lm ,
l =0 m=l

Apply the boundary condition:

l
V ,= Al , m a l Y lm ,
l =0 m=l

2 l 2

Y *l ' m ' , V , sin d d = Al , m al Y *l ' m ' ,Y l m , sin d d

0 0 l=0 m =l 0 0

Use Y *l ' m ' , Y l m , sin d d =l 'l m ' m

0 0

2
Al , m=al Y *l ' m ' ,V ,sin d d
0 0

Finally:

l l

r *
x= Alm Y lm , where Alm= d 'Y lm ' , ' V ' , '
l =0 m=l a
We have therefore indirectly shown that the two forms are equivalent because they are both valid
solutions of the same problem.

We can also directly shown the two forms to be equivalent:

Start with the Green function method solution's form:

a a 2 r 2
x=
4
r 2aV22
' , '
a r cos 3/ 2
d'

We want to use the point potential expansion proved earlier:

l
1
1 rl *
=4 l 1
Y l m ' , ' Y lm , if r r 0
rr0 l =0 m=l 2 l1 r 0

If we take r0 to be a vector pointing to the location a , ' , ' then this becomes:
l
1
1 rl *
=4 l1
Y l m ' , 'Y lm ,
r 2 a 22 a r cos l =0 m=l 2 l1 a

Take the derivative of both sides with respect to r then multiply by r:

l
a r cos r 2
l rl *
r 2a 22 a r cos 3 /2
=4 l1
Y l m ' , ' Y lm ,
l=0 m=l 2 l1 a

Take the derivative of the original expansion on both sides with respect to a and multiply by (-a):
l
a r cos a2
l1 r l *
r 2a 22 a r cos 3 /2
=4 2 l1 a l1 Y l m ' , ' Y lm ,
l=0 m=l

Add the two proceeding equations to each other:

l
a 2r 2
rl *
r 2a 22 a r cos 3 /2
=4 l1
Y l m ' , 'Y lm ,
l=0 m=l a

Using this, expand part of the Green function method solution:

l

rl *
x= V ' , ' Y l m ' , 'Y lm , d '
l =0 m=l al

Finally:

l l

r Alm= d 'Y *lm ' , ' V ' , '
x= Alm Y lm , where
l =0 m=l a