PHYS 100B (Prof.

Congjun Wu)
Solution to HW 3

January 10, 2011

Problem 1 (Griffiths 5.24)

If B is uniform, show that A(r) = − 12 (r × B) works. That is, check that ∇ · A = 0 and ∇ × A = B. Is this
result unique, or are there other functions with the same divergence and curl?
Solution: Since B is uniform, ∇ × B = 0, (r · ∇)B = 0. And ∇ × r = 0, ∇ · r = 3, we have
1 1
∇ · A = − ∇·(r × B) = − (B·(∇ × r) − r·(∇ × B)) = 0
2 2
1 1
∇ × A = − ∇×(r × B) = − (r (∇ · B) + (B · ∇) r − B(∇ · r) − (r · ∇)B)
2 2
1
= − (0 + B − 3B − 0) = B.
2
Take
A′ = A + ∇φ,
⇒

∇ · A′ = ∇ · A + ∇2 φ,
∇ × A′ = ∇ × A.
( )
So we need φ to be linear in x, y and z so that ∇2 φ = ∂x2 + ∂y2 + ∂z2 φ = 0. For example, take φ = xy, ∇φ = yex +xey ,
∇2 φ = 0.
Problem 2 (Griffiths 5.29)
Use the results of Ex. 5.11 to find the field inside a uniformly charged sphere of total charge Q and radius R,
which is rotating at a constant angular velocity ω.
Solution: In Ex. 5.11, we found the vector potential inside a uniformed charged shell with radius R′ as Eq. 5.67,
{
µ0 R′ ωσ
3 r sin θϕ̂, (r ≤ R)
A (r, θ, φ) = µ0 R′4 ωσ 1
.
3 r 2 sin θ ϕ̂, (r ≥ R)

Here, a uniformly charged sphere can be thought as layers of spheres, larger one containing smaller ones inside. The
field inside a uniformly charged sphere can be found by integration over R,
∫ R ∫ r
µ0 ωρ µ0 ωρ 1
A (r, θ, φ) = r sin θϕ̂ R′ dR′ + sin θ ϕ̂ R′4 dR
3 r 3 r2 0
µ0 ωρ 1( ) µ0 ωρ 1 1
= r sin θϕ̂ R2 − r2 + 2
sin θϕ̂ r5
3 ( 2 ) 3 r 5
µ0 ωρ 1 2 1 2
= r sin θ R − r ϕ̂.
2 3 5
In 3D spherical coordinates, the metric is
   
hr 0 0 1 0 0
η= 0 hθ 0 = 0 r 0 ,
0 0 hφ 0 0 r sin θ

1
B (r, θ, φ) = ∇ × A (r, θ, φ)
[ ] [ ] [ ]
1 ∂ ∂ 1 ∂ ∂ 1 ∂ ∂
= (Aφ hφ ) − (Aθ hθ ) r̂ + (Ar hr ) − (Aφ hφ ) θ̂ + (Ar hr ) − (Aθ hθ ) ϕ̂
hθ hφ ∂θ ∂φ hφ hr ∂φ ∂r hr hθ ∂θ ∂r
[ ] [ ]
1 ∂ 1 ∂
= (Aφ r sin θ) r̂ + − (Aφ r sin θ) θ̂
r2 sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂r
[ ( ) ( ) ]
µ0 ω Q 1 1 2 1 2 ∂ 1 ∂ 1 2 2 1 4
= R − r sin 2
θr̂ − sin θ R r − r θ̂
2 43 πR3 sin θ 3 5 ∂θ r ∂r 3 5
[ ( ) ( ) ]
µ0 ωQ 3 r2 6 r2
= cos θ 1 − r̂ − sin θ 1 − θ̂ .
4πR 5 R2 5 R2

Problem 3 (Griffiths 5.30)

(a) Complete the proof of Theorem 2, Sect. 1.6.2. That is, show that any divergenceless vector field F can be
written as the curl of a vector potential A. What you have to do is find Ax , Ay and Az such that: (i) ∂Az /∂y −
∂Ay /∂z = Fx ; (ii) ∂Ax /∂z − ∂Az /∂x = Fy ; and (iii) ∂Ay /∂x − ∂Ax /∂y = Fz . Here’s one way to do it: Pick Ax = 0,
and solve (ii) and (iii) for Ay and Az . Note that the ”constants of integration” here are themselves functions of y
and z—they’re constant only with respect to x. Now plug these expressions into (i), and use the fact that ∇ · F = 0
to obtain ∫ x ∫ y ∫ x
′ ′ ′ ′
Ay = Fz (x , y, z) dx ; Az = Fx (0, y , z) dy − Fy (x′ , y, z) dx′ .
0 0 0
Solution: Pick Ax = 0,
∫ x
−∂Az /∂x = Fy ⇒ Az = − Fy (x′ , y, z) dx′ + C1 (y, z) ,
∫ 0
x
∂Ay /∂x = Fz . ⇒ Ay = Fz (x′ , y, z) dx′ + C2 (y, z) .
0

Now plug these expressions into (i),

[ ∫ x ] [∫ x ]
∂ ′ ′ ∂ ′ ′
− Fy (x , y, z) dx + C1 (y, z) − Fz (x , y, z) dx + C2 (y, z) = Fx ,
∂y 0 ∂z 0
∫ x( )
∂ ∂ ∂ ∂
− Fy (x′ , y, z) + Fz (x′ , y, z) dx′ + C1 (y, z) − C2 (y, z) = Fx ,
0 ∂y ∂z ∂y ∂z
and use the fact that ∇ · F = 0 ⇒
∫ x
∂ ∂ ∂
Fx (x′ , y, z) dx′ + C1 (y, z) − C2 (y, z) = Fx ,
0 ∂x ∂y ∂z
⇒
∂ ∂
C1 (y, z) − C2 (y, z) = Fx (0, y, z) .
∂y ∂z
Take C2 (y, z) = 0,
∫ x
Ay = Fz (x′ , y, z) dx′ ,
∫ 0
y
C1 (y, z) = Fx (0, y ′ , z) dy ′ ,
0

∫ x
Az = − Fy (x′ , y, z) dx′ + C1 (y, z)
∫ x 0
∫ y
= − Fy (x′ , y, z) dx′ + Fx (0, y ′ , z) dy ′ .
0 0

2
 (b) By direct differentiation, check that the A you obtained in part (a) satisfies ∇ × A = F. Is A divergenceless?
[This was a very asymmetrical construction, and it would be surprising if it were—although we know that there
exists a vector whose curl is F and whose divergence is zero.]
Solution:

∇×A
i j k
∂ ∂ ∂
= ∂x ∫x ∂y ∫x ∂z ∫y
0 Fz (x , y, z) dx − 0 Fy (x , y, z) dx + 0 Fx (0, y ′ , z) dy ′
′ ′ ′ ′
( ∫ x 0
∫ y ∫ x )
∂ ′ ′ ∂ ′ ′ ∂ ′ ′
= i − Fy (x , y, z) dx + Fx (0, y , z) dy − Fz (x , y, z) dx
0 ∂y ∂y 0 0 ∂z
( ∫ x ∫ y ) ∫ x
∂ ∂
−j − Fy (x′ , y, z) dx′ + Fx (0, y ′ , z) dy ′ + k Fz (x′ , y, z) dx′
∂x 0 0 ∂x 0
( ∫ x( ) )
∂ ′ ∂ ′ ′
= i − Fy (x , y, z) + Fz (x , y, z) dx + Fx (0, y, z)
0 ∂y ∂z
(∫ x ) ∫ x
∂ ′ ′ ∂
+j Fy (x , y, z) dx + k Fz (x′ , y, z) dx′
∂x 0 ∂x 0
(∫ x ) (∫ x ) ∫ x
∂ ′ ′ ∂ ′ ′ ∂
= i Fx (x , y, z) dx + Fx (0, y, z) + j Fy (x , y, z) dx + k Fz (x′ , y, z) dx′
0 ∂x ∂x 0 ∂x 0
= iFx (x, y, z) + jFy (x, y, z) + kFz (x, y, z) = F

∇
∫ x· A ∫ x ∫ y
∂ ∂ ∂
= Fz (x′ , y, z) dx′ − Fy (x′ , y, z) dx′ + Fx (0, y ′ , z) dy ′
0 ∂y 0 ∂z 0 ∂z
̸= 0,

in general.
(c) As an example, let F = yx̂ + zŷ + xẑ. Calculate A, and confirm that ∇ × A = F. (For further discussion see
Prob. 5.51.)
Solution: Let F = yx̂ + zŷ + xẑ,
∫ x ∫ x
′ ′ 1
Ay = Fz (x , y, z) dx = x′ dx′ = x2 ,
0 0 2
∫ x ∫ y
1
Az = − zdx′ + y ′ dy ′ = −xz + y 2 .
0 0 2
( )
1 2 1 2
A = x ŷ + y − xz ẑ,
2 2
( ) ( ) ( )
∂ ∂ ∂ ∂
∇×A = Az − Ay x̂ + − Az ŷ + Ay x̂
∂y ∂z ∂x ∂x
= yx̂ + zŷ + xẑ.

Problem 4 (Griffiths 5.36)

Find the magnetic dipole moment of the spinning spherical shell in Ex. 5.11. Show that for points r > R the
potential is that of a perfect dipole.
Solution:
∫ ∫ ∫ ∫ π
dq σ (2πR sin θ) Rdθ 2
m = dm = IdA = dA = ẑ 2π · π (R sin θ)
dt 0
∫ π ω
4π
= ẑσR4 ωπ sin3 θdθ = σR4 ωẑ.
0 3

3
For points r > R the potential is
µ0 R4 ωσ 1
A (r, θ, φ) |r>R = sin θϕ̂.
3 r2
µ0 m × r̂ µ0 4π σR4 ω µ0 R2 ωσ 1
Adip = = ẑ × r̂ = sin θϕ̂ = A (r, θ, φ) |r>R .
4π r2 4π 3 r2 3 r2