Scribd
Upload
79 views1 page

1 PHYS 401-Electrodynamics-Homework I: Ijk Ilm JL KM JM KL

This document provides the homework assignment for PHYS 401 - Electrodynamics. It contains 3 problems: 1) Derive an identity involving vector operations on vector fields A and B. 2) Provide an alternative derivation of the divergence operator in spherical coordinates by using the divergence theorem and integrating by parts. 3) Solve problem 1.61 from Chapter 1, which will be essential for potential problems.

Uploaded by

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
79 views1 page

1 PHYS 401-Electrodynamics-Homework I: Ijk Ilm JL KM JM KL

This document provides the homework assignment for PHYS 401 - Electrodynamics. It contains 3 problems: 1) Derive an identity involving vector operations on vector fields A and B. 2) Provide an alternative derivation of the divergence operator in spherical coordinates by using the divergence theorem and integrating by parts. 3) Solve problem 1.61 from Chapter 1, which will be essential for potential problems.

Uploaded by

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

1 PHYS 401-Electrodynamics-Homework I

(due 25th of October, 6 PM)

Note that all problems from the book refer to the 4th edition, if you have an older version
numbers maybe different!

1) Derive the identity,

~ A
∇( ~ · B)
~ =A
~ × (∇
~ × B)
~ +B
~ × (∇
~ × A)
~ + (A
~ · ∇)
~ B~ + (B
~ · ∇)
~ A,
~

note that we have the following identity regarding the epsilon tensor,

ijk ilm = δjl δkm − δjm δkl ,

where summation over repeated indices is always implied (Einstein convention).

2) Read Section 1.4 carefully, there Griffiths provides a “straightforward” derivation of


vector operations, ∇Ψ, for a scalar function Ψ and ∇ · V~ as well as ∇ × V~ , for a vector field
V~ , in spherical coordinates. Here, we will provide a somewhat different derivation for the
divergence. Let us consider an arbitrary scalar function Ψ and a vector field T~ . We note the
equality (by divergence theorem)
Z Z
∇ · (ΨT~ )dv = ~
ΨT~ · dA,
Ω ∂Ω

where ∂Ω refers to the boundary of the open domain Ω (as our domain, one can choose balls of
radius R for any arbitrary R value, then the boundary becomes a sphere). Suppose Ψ vanishes
on the boundary (there are infinitely many smooth functions one can pick that satisfy this).
Expand the divergence, Z Z
∇Ψ · T dv = − Ψ∇ · T~ dv,
~
Ω Ω
now integrate by parts the derivatives on the gradient part, this gives us a formula for the
divergence of T~ .

3) Solve Problem 1.61 from Chapter 1. Identity given in part (d) will be essential for
potential problems.

You might also like