Problem Set 2

PHYS1602 (Spring 2025), Professor Kerstin Perez

Due: February 7 at 8pm EST

Problem 1. (10 pts) A spherically symmetric charge distribution is non-uniform and has a charge density given
by: (
ρ0 (1 − r2 /R2 ); r ≤ R
ρ(r) =
0; r > R
where ρ0 > 0 is a constant.

Problem 1

(a) What is the total charge Q contained inside the sphere?

(b) What is the electric field in the region r < R?
(c) What is the electric field in the region r > R?
(d) Is the electric field continuous at the surface of the sphere?

Problem 2. (10pts) Consider a semi-infinite slab of charge (infinite in the y − z plane) with uniform charge
density ρ that extends from x = −d to x = +d.

Problem 2

(a) Find the electric field everywhere inside the slab.

(b) Find the electric field everywhere outside the slab.
(c) Find the electric potential difference V (B) − V (P ) between the points B and P that lies on the x−axis.
The point B lies outside the slab with xB > d and the point P lies at the center of the slab with xP = 0.

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Problem 3. (10pts) A sphere with radius R is centered at the origin, an infinite cylinder with radius R has its
axis along the z-axis, and an infinite slab with thickness 2R lies between the planes z = −R and z = R. The uniform
charge volume densities of these objects are ρsph , ρcyl , and ρslab respectively. The objects overlap. How should the
three densities be related so that the electric field is zero everywhere throughout the volume of the sphere?

Problem 3

Hint: You will need to use superposition. You may refer to the textbook “Introduction to Electricity and Mag-
netism”, by P. Dourmashkin, et al. You should first look at Example 3.4 of Chapter 3. Next, you will need to do
the cylindrical analog of the problem (follow the steps analogous to those in Example 3.1 of Chapter 3). Finally,
you will need to solve Problem 3.9.2 of Chapter 3. It is also worth figuring out the relation between the spherical
radius, ⃗rspherical , the cylindrical radius ⃗rspherical , and zẑ. The below sketch may help.

Hint: superposition of electric fields for Problem3

Problem 4. (10pts) A charge q sits at origin. A disk of radius R parallel to the xy-plane is above the charge
with its center on the z-axis. The center of the disk is located at a distance h up the z-axis. Let the electric flux
through the disk due to the field of the charge at the origin be ΦE .

Problem 4

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 (a) What is the value of ΦE in terms of your given parameters?
(b) Suppose we let R go to infinity and h stay finite. What then is the value of ΦE ? Does this make sense to
you? √
Hint: Construct an imaginary spherical cap with radius R2 + h2 . The sphere of which the cap would be a part
if the cap were a full sphere is centered at the origin, as shown in the figure. What is the relation between the flux
through this cap and the flux through the disk? How can you use this relation to make this problem simpler than it
looks?

Hint for problem 4: Construct an imaginary spherical cap.

Problem 5. (10pts)
A sphere of radius a was filled with positive charge at uniform density ρ. Then a smaller sphere of radius a/2
was carved out, as shown in the figure, and left empty. What are the direction and magnitude of the electric field
at A? At B?
Hint: You can think of this as the superposition of two spheres, one with radius a and charge density ρ and
another with radius a/2 and charge density −ρ.

ρ A
a

Problem 5

Problem 6. (10pts)

Partial derivatives and the gradient: For one-dimensional functions of a single variable, e.g. f (x), the
df
derivative, dx or f ′ (x), tells you how the function changes for small changes in the independent variable x. When a
function depends on several variables, e.g., f (x, y, z), there are several different derivatives called partial derivatives,
∂f ∂f ∂f
∂x , ∂y , and ∂z . Both in concept and in practice the partial derivative is the same as the one-dimensional derivative,
asking how the function changes as you change one of its independent variables (while holding the others fixed -
treat them as constants when you take the derivative).
Consider a point-like positively charged object with charge +q located at the origin. Choosing V (∞) = 0, we
determined in class that the electric potential difference V (r) − V (∞) = V (r) between infinity and any point on a
sphere of radius r centered on the origin is given by the expression:

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 1 q
V (r) = .
4πϵ0 r
(a) Find an expression for the potential in Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z).
(b) Calculate the three derivatives, called partial derivatives, ∂V ∂V ∂V 2 2 2 1/2
∂x , ∂y , and ∂z . If the expression (x +y +z )
appears in your results, replace it with r.

Gradient: It is convenient to define the gradient of a multidimensional scalar function. The gradient is a vector
field that everywhere points in the direction of maximum change (steepest ascent uphill) of the function. It is
calculated as follows:
⃗ = ∂f î + ∂f ĵ + ∂f k̂.
∇f
∂x ∂y ∂z
⃗ . Use the fact that ⃗r = xî + y ĵ + z k̂ and
(c) Again consider V (x, y, z) = √ 2 kq 2 2 . Calculate its gradient ∇V
x +y +z
p
r = x2 + y 2 + z 2 to express your answer in terms of k, q, ⃗r and r.
(d) Based on your answer to (c), what is the relation ship between ∇V ⃗
⃗ and electrical field E?
(e) (i) For a point-like charged object, does the gradient point ∇V⃗ in the direction of maximum increase or
maximum decrease of the function V ? Explain your reasoning.
(ii) Does the sign of the charge affect your answer to part (i)? Explain your reasoning.

Generalization: Finding the Electric Field from the Electric Potential: Your results for the point-like
charged object generalize to any source of electric field. Because the electrostatic force on a charged object in an
RB
⃗ elec · d⃗s is path independent and hence in class we
electrostatic field is a conservative force, the line integral A F
defined the electric potential difference by
Z B ⃗
F
Z B
V (B) − V (A) = − · d⃗s = − ⃗ · d⃗s.
E
A qt A

Whenever a line integral of a function is independent of the path, the line integral can be written as
Z B
V (B) − V (A) = − ⃗ · d⃗s.
∇V
A

Comparing our two expressions we see that

⃗ = −∇V.
E ⃗
⃗ = −∇V
(f ) Using the result that E ⃗ , does the electric field depend on your choice of point for the zero reference
electric potential? Explain your reasoning.