Problems for Physics 111: Electricity, Magnetism, and Thermodynamics

Dan Styer; April 2023

1. Using Coulomb’s law

Two point charges +q and +4q are a distance L apart. A third charge is placed so that the entire system is in
equilibrium. (a.) Find the location, magnitude, and sign of the third charge. (b.) Show that the equilibrium
of the system is unstable.

2. Hanging charges
Two tiny balls of identical mass m and identical charge q hang on two threads of length L attached to one
point on the ceiling. The distance x between the two balls is much less than the string length L.

L L

a. Show that the distance between the two balls is approximately

1/3
1 2q 2 L

x≈ .
4π0 mg

b. Suppose the mass m were increased. According to the formula, would the separation x increase or
decrease? Does this make sense to you? Repeat for increases of g, q, and L.

c. Does it make any difference whether the charge q on each ball is positive or negative? This is called
“symmetry under interchange of the sign of q.” Does this symmetry hold only in the approximation
x  L?

d. What would happen if the two charges were not equal but instead there was charge qL on the left ball
and qR on the right ball? (Both charges being of the same sign.)

1
 3. Estimating charges and forces
Two students, Ivan and Veronica, stand about 100 feet apart. Ivan weighs about 200 pounds and Veronica
weighs about 100 pounds. Suppose each student has a 0.01% excess in his or her amount of positive and
negative charge, one student being positive and the other negative. Estimate the force of attraction between
the two. (Clues: Students consist mostly of water, and for this purpose they may be considered to be points.)

4. Electric field due to two charges

−5q a +2q

(a.) In the situation above locate the point or points at which the electric field due to the two charges is
zero. (b.) Sketch the electric field lines qualitatively.

5. Clock of charge
A clock face has negative point charges −q, −2q, −3q, . . . , −12q fixed at the positions of the corresponding
numerals. The clock hands do not perturb the net field due to these twelve source charges. At what time
does the hour hand point in the direction of the electric field vector at the center of the dial? (Clue: Use
symmetry.)

[I apologize for the rather artificial character of this problem, but I feel that the thrill of finding a clever
solution to an apparently monstrous problem is adequate pay back.]

6. Rod of charge
A thin non-conducting rod of length L has a charge +q spread uniformly along it. We wish to find the
electric field due to the rod at point P a distance y above the rod’s midpoint.

P
y

a. Argue from symmetry that the electric field at point P must point either directly away from or directly
toward the rod’s midpoint.

b. Find the magnitude of the electric field at point P . (This involves evaluating a moderately difficult
integral. Feel free to use a computer algebra system or a table of integrals.)
—continued on next page—

2
 c. Four friends work part (b) of this problem independently. When they get together to compare results,
they find that each of the four has obtained a different answer! The four candidate answers are
1 q
E(y) = p , (1)
4π0 y y 2 − (L/2)2
1 q
E(y) = p , (2)
4π0 y y 2 + (L/2)
1 q
E(y) = p , (3)
4π0 y y 2 + (L/2)2
1 q
E(y) = p . (4)
4π0 y 2y + (L/2)2
2

Show that one candidate answer is dimensionally incorrect, one gives nonsense for perfectly legitimate
values of y, and one gives an incorrect result for the special case L = 0. The remaining candidate is cor-
rect. (These sorts of plausibility tests are discussed in the “Answer Checking” section of the document
“Solving Problems in Physics” at <http://www.oberlin.edu/physics/dstyer/SolvingProblems.html>.)

d. Does the correct expression for E(y) have the expected functional dependence on y, q, and L?

e. Show that this electric field approximates that of a point charge when y  L.

7. Card of charge
A thin non-conducting card of length 2a and width 2b is painted uniformly with charge +q. We ask about
the electric field due to the card at the point a distance z above the center of the card. The electric field
there of course points straight away from the card, but what is its magnitude? Four candidate answers are
1 q
E(z) = √ , (1)
4π0 z 4z 2 + a2 + b2
1 q
E(z) = √ , (2)
4π0 z z − a2 − b2
2
1 q
E(z) = √ , (3)
4π0 z z 2 + 2a2 + b2
1 q
E(z) = √ . (4)
4π0 z z 2 + a + b
Show that all four of these candidates are incorrect because they are impossible, algebraically improper,
give an incorrect special case, or lack a required symmetry. (In fact, the correct expression turns out to be
 
1 q ab
E(z) = arctan √ ,
4π0 ab z z 2 + a2 + b2
although this is a rather difficult result to uncover.)

3
 8. Antisymmetric charge distributions
A thin glass rod is bent into a semicircle. The charge +q is painted uniformly on the upper half, and the
charge −q is painted uniformly on the lower half.

+q

−q

a. Show that the electric field at point P points straight downward.

b. Show that the electric field at any point on the horizontal line passing through P points straight
downward.

c. If a two-dimensional charge distribution has a line such that any charge below the line has a corre-
sponding charge of the same magnitude but opposite sign at the same position above the line, and vice
versa, then that line is called an axis of antisymmetry. Show that the electric field at any point on the
axis of antisymmetry must lie within the plane of the charge distribution and point perpendicular to
the axis.

9. Flux in the Earth’s atmosphere

The Earth’s atmosphere typically has an electric field (the “fair weather field”) related to thunderstorms
elsewhere on the planet. It is found by experiment that the electric field in a certain region of the Earth’s
atmosphere is directed vertically down. At an altitude of 300 m the field has magnitude 60.0 N/C; at an
altitude of 200 m, 100 N/C. Find the net charge contained within a cube 100 m on edge, with horizontal
faces at altitudes of 200 m and 300 m. (All data have three significant figures. It’s clear from the statement
of this problem that the curvature of the Earth is negligible in this context.)

10. Field due to a pipe of charge

A long, thin-walled metal tube of radius R carries a charge per unit length of λ on its surface. Derive an
expression for the magnitude of E~ in terms of distance r from the tube axis, considering both r < R and
r > R. Sketch this function.

4
 11. Hanging from a charged wall
A tiny ball of mass m = 1.0 mg and charge q = 2.0 × 10−8 C hangs from an insulating thread that makes an
angle θ = 30◦ with a vertical, insulating, uniformly charged wall (shown in cross section). The wall extents
a long distance vertically and into and out of the page. Considering the gravitational force on the ball, find
the surface charge density σ on the wall.

m, q

12. The thick shell of charge

A thick spherical shell of charge has inner radius a, outer radius b, and uniform charge density ρ. Find
expressions for the electric field at any point. Sketch the magnitude of the field as a function of radius r,
paying special attention to any discontinuities, kinks, or other unusual features.

5
 13. Sphere of charge with a spherical cavity
A non-conducting sphere has a uniform volume charge density ρ. Let ~r represent the vector from the center
of the sphere to an arbitrary point P within the sphere.

~ = ρ~r/30 . Note that this result is independent of

a. Show that the electric field at point P is given by E
the radius of the sphere.

Now a spherical cavity is hollowed out of the sphere of charge, as shown in cross section below. (This
hollowing-out process decreases the total volume of occupied by the charge and thus the total charge, while
keeping constant the charge density ρ of the remaining, un-hollowed-out, portions of the sphere.) The vector
from the center of the sphere to the center of the cavity is called ~a.

b. Show that the electric field at the center of the cavity is not affected by the hollowing-out process: it
is ρ~a/30 both before and after the hollowing occurs. (Clue: Think of the hollowing-out as proceeding
through the removal of one shell at a time.)

c. By contrast, show that at a point P within the cavity but not at its very center, the electric field does
change as the hollowing-out proceeds: it starts out as ρ~r/30 and ends up as ρ~a/30 .

In short, the electric field within the cavity is uniform and equal to ρ~a/30 at all points. This is a remarkable
result: First, the electric field within the cavity is independent of the size of the sphere and the size of the
cavity. Second, the field due to all these charges bounded by curves sums up, not to a “curvy” field, but to
a uniform field.

Note: This is my favorite electrostatics problem. Part (a) is easy. Parts (b) and (c) are algebraically easy,
but they rely on thinking about the problem from a particular subtle perspective. (Clue: Superposition.) I
admit without shame that when I took introductory E&M I never found the proper perspective. . . my teacher
had to show me how to do it. If you can’t obtain this perspective then you should (for partial credit) do
part (c) for the special case ~a = 0.

6
 14. Charge collected by a satellite
A spherical satellite of radius 10 m moves through the dilute ionized gas of the Earth’s ionosphere. The
satellite’s potential typically changes by −1.0 V with each orbit. How much charge does it collect with each
orbit?

15. Electric potential due to a washer

A washer (or annulus) with uniform surface charge density σ has outer radius R and inner radius R/5. What
is the electric potential due to this charge at distance z above the center of the washer?

16. Electric potential due to a quarter disk

A plastic disk of radius R = 64.0 cm is charged on one side with a uniform surface charge density σ =
7.73 fC/m2 , and then three quadrants of the disk are removed. The remaining disk resembles a (thick) slice
of pie. What is the electric potential a distance z = 25.9 cm above the sharp point of the pie slice? Use the
standard convention that V = 0 far away from the disk.

Clue: Use symmetry together with a result derived in the text. If you try brute force you’ll be flattened!

7
 17. Electric potential energy
Find the electric potential energy of the square, four-charge configuration shown below.

+q −q

−q +q
a

18. Electric field near two conductors

In the “Mapping Electric Fields” lab, two conductors used in the pattern shown below. Presented here
are five diagrams that purport to show the field lines associated with these two conductors. Using only a
sentence or two for each diagram, explain why four of them cannot be correct.

(a.) (b.) (c.) (d.) (e.)

8
 19. A conductor with a cavity enclosing a charge
A point charge +q is placed at the exact center of an electrically neutral, spherical, conducting shell with
inner radius a and outer radius b.

a. What charges appear on the inner and outer surfaces of the shell?

b. Find expressions for the electric field when r < a, when a < r < b, and when b < r. Sketch field lines.

c. What is the electric field due to the central and inner surface charges alone? Due to the outer surface
charges alone? Conclude that the conductor divorces the problem into two separate problems, one
inside the cavity and one outside the conductor: The total charge distribution inside the cavity—
including the surface charge on the inside of the conducting shell—has no net effect on any point
outside the cavity. The total charge distribution outside the conductor—including the surface charge
on the outside of the conducting shell—has no net effect on any point within the conductor or the
cavity. (This divorce is called “shielding”.)

d. Why do the field lines from the central point charge stop at the inner surface, whereas the field lines
from a single point charge go out to infinity? Does the conducting shell somehow “erase” the field due
to the central charge? (Clue: What is the electric field at a point ~r inside the shell due to the central
charge alone?)

e. If a second point charge of charge −q is placed outside of the shell, is there any change in the distribution
of surface charge on the inside of the conductor? On the outside? Sketch qualitatively the new charge
distribution and field lines.

f. Does the outside charge experience a force?

g. Does the inside charge experience a force?

h. Is Newton’s third law violated in this situation?

20. A conductor with two cavities

A neutral spherical conductor contains two irregular cavities. A fixed charge of −3 nC is placed within the
first cavity and a fixed charge of +2 nC is placed within the second. Then a charge of +5 nC is placed on
the conductor itself

a. What is the total charge on the outer surface of the conductor?

b. Is this charge distributed uniformly or non-uniformly? How do you know? (Answers without explana-
tions get zero credit.) (Clue: Shielding.)

9
 21. A force field for which no potential exists
Consider a force field F~ (x, y, z) = (4y + 3)î, where î is a unit vector in the x direction. Show that the integral
Z
F~ (x, y, z) · d~`

from (0, 0, 0) to (2, 1, 0) depends upon the path taken by evaluating that integral for the three paths shown
in the figure below. (Path A is “right then up”, path B is “up then right”, and path C is “straight on the
diagonal line y(x) = x/2”.)

y
2

1 B C
A
0 x
0 1 2

(Answers: A, 6; B, 14; C, 10.)

22. Three charges

Three charged particles are located at three vertices of a square with edge length a as shown. The fourth
vertex (point P) is empty.

P +q

−q a −2 2 q

a. What is the electric potential at point P? Use the convention that the potential vanishes far from the
charges.

b. What is the magnitude and direction of the electric field at point P?

10
 23. Review of concepts
The four central quantities of electrostatics are:

name usage
charge charge on an object; charge at a point
electric field field at a point; field due to a particular charge
flux flux through a surface
potential potential difference between two points;
potential at a point (with reference point zero understood)

a. Which of these quantities are scalars, and which are vectors?

b. Which of these quantities are functions of position in space, and which are not?

c. What are the dimensions of each quantity?

d. For each phrase below change the underscored words so that the phrase makes sense.

i. The flux between two points.

ii. The charge through a surface.
iii. The potential shooting out through a surface.
iv. The charge density through a surface.
v. The flux on an object.
vi. The electric field between charges B and C.

24. Capacitance for carpenters

A metal hand saw carries charge +70 pC. A nearby metal wrench carries charge −70 pC. The resulting
potential difference between the two objects is 20 V. (a.) What is the capacitance of the system? (b.) If
the charges are changed to +200 pC and −200 pC, what does the capacitance become? (c.) What does the
potential difference become? (All data have two significant digits.)

25. Force between capacitor plates

Show that the plates of a parallel plate capacitor attract each other with the force

q2
F = .
20 A
One way of doing this is by calculating the work needed to increase the plate separation from x to x + dx,
with the charge q remaining constant. However, there are other ways as well.

11
 26. Three-body forces
The electrostatic force (like the gravitational force) is a two-body force, meaning that the force between two
point charges is unaltered by the addition of a third point charge. Convince yourself that not all forces are
of this type by considering the interaction of an atom and a point charge, and then adding a third point
charge. Clue: Each point charge will induce a polarization in the atom.

27. Wire resistance

A 1.00 meter length of 24 gauge Nichrome wire has a resistance of 4.48 Ω. What length of 18 gauge Nichrome
wire will give a resistance of 100 Ω? (24 gauge wire has a diameter of 0.0200 inches, while 18 gauge wire
has a diameter of 0.0400 inches. . . the lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire. All measurements have
three significant figures.)

28. Electric fields and charges in resistors

I said in class that positive charge “piles up” where the current enters a resistor and that negative charge
accumulates where the current leaves. This problem investigates a simple model of a resistor that illustrates
these general facts.

Model a resistor by a cylinder of graphite (C) with resistivity ρC ; model the wires leading to the resistor
by cylinders of copper (Cu) with resistivity zero. Assume that the wire is straight and that the current
density J~ is uniformly distributed throughout the wire.

current

Cu C Cu

ρ=0 ρ = ρC ρ=0

~ = ρJ~ (LSM equation 9.6), sketch the field lines that

a. Using the “microscopic form of Ohm’s law”, E
exist inside the wire and the resistor.

b. Use a Gaussian cylinder straddling the left Cu-C interface to show that a surface charge density
σ = 0 ρC J exists on this interface. Similarly show that the right interface carries surface charge
density σ = −0 ρC J.

c. Show that all other points within the wire and resistor carry no net charge.

12
 29. Automobile gas gauge
A gasoline gauge for an automobile is shown schematically below.

Rindicator = 10 Ω

12 V Rtank unit = 20 Ω to 110 Ω

connected
through
auto frame

A wire runs from the positive end of the battery (under the hood) to the indicator gauge (on the dashboard,
with resistance 10 Ω), and another wire runs from the indicator gauge to the tank unit (at the rear of the
car). There is no return wire: instead, the negative end of the battery and the bottom end of the tank
unit are each connected to the steel automobile frame, and the return current runs through the frame itself.
(These two connections are said to be “grounded to the frame”.) The tank unit is a float connected to a
variable resistor whose resistance is 20 Ω when the tank is full, 110 Ω when the tank is empty, and varies
linearly with the volume of gasoline. Find the current in the circuit when the tank is (a) full, (b) half-full,
and (c) empty.

30. A circuit with two batteries

The batteries in this circuit have negligible internal resistance.

R1 = 4.0 Ω

E1 = 6.0 V R2 = 8.0 Ω

E2 = 12.0 V

Find (a) the current in the circuit (including direction), (b) the power dissipated in each resistor, and (c) the
energy transfer rate (including sign) at each battery.

13
 31. A circuit with four resistors
Find the equivalent resistance of this network and the current through each resistor. (The battery has
negligible internal resistance.)

R1 = 1.5 Ω

E = 6.0 V R2 = 4.0 Ω R3 = 4.0 Ω

R4 = 6.0 Ω

32. A circuit with five resistors

What is the potential difference across the 5.0 Ω resistor in the circuit below? Clue: Ignore irrelevant data.

6.0 Ω

4.0 Ω

12 Ω

3.0 Ω 5.0 Ω

E = 12.0 V

14
 33. A simple circuit: derivation and exploration
Three resistors and a battery are connected as sketched below:

i1

R1

E i2 i3
R2 R3

Consider all the circuit elements to be ideal. You know techniques for finding i1 , i2 , and i3 in terms of R1 ,
R2 , R3 , and E, but please don’t find these expressions yet. Instead, work through the following steps:

a. Four friends independently find expressions for i3 . When they get together to compare results, they
find that each of the four has obtained a different expression! The four candidate answers are
R3
i3 = E , (1)
R1 R2 + R1 R3 + R2 R3
R2
i3 = E , (2)
R1 R2 + R1 R3 + R2 R3
1
i3 = E , (3)
R1 + R1 R3 + R2 R3
R2
i3 = E . (4)
R1 R2 − R1 R3
Show that one candidate answer is dimensionally incorrect, one gives infinite current for perfectly
legitimate values of the resistances, two give incorrect results for the special case R2 = 0, and one gives
incorrect results for the special case R3 = 0. Verify that the remaining candidate is correct.

b. In this circuit, if every subscript “2” is changed to a subscript “3” and vice versa, the resulting circuit
is exactly the same as the original. Use this symmetry to write down an expression for i2 directly from
the expression for i3 without any intermediate steps.

c. Now that you know both i3 and i2 , find i1 through a single addition.

d. The current leaving the top of the battery and passing through R1 is i1 . What is the current entering
the bottom of the battery?

e. If the battery emf E is tripled, what happens to each of the currents?

—continued on next page—

15
 f. If every resistance is doubled, what happens to each of the currents?

g. If R3 is much greater than R2 , what is i3 ? Is this what you expect?

h. Does current always take “the path of least resistance”?

34. A circuit with five resistors and two batteries

E1
R1 R2 R4

R3
E2

R5

a. Below are three candidate expressions for the current through R4 in the circuit sketched above. Without
solving the problem, give at least one reason why each candidate cannot be correct.
E1
(1)
R4 + R5 − R1
E2
(2)
(R2 + R3 )(R4 + R5 )
E1 R3
(3)
R2 (R4 + R5 )
b. Find a correct expression for the current through R4 .

[Answers for part (a): The first candidate gives infinite current when R1 = R4 + R5 . The second candidate
does not have the dimensions of current. The third candidate lacks the required symmetry between R2 and
R3 . It also shows increased current with increased R3 —unexpected to say the least—and it predicts infinite
current through R4 if R3 is infinite (e.g. if the wire between R2 and R3 is broken).]

16
 35. Resistors in parallel

a. Show that the equivalent resistance of two resistors in parallel is

R1 R2
.
R1 + R2

b. It is tempting to generalize this result and guess that the equivalent resistance of three resistors in
parallel is
R1 R2 R3
.
R1 + R2 + R3
Without doing a derivation, show that this guess is impossible.

c. Find the correct expression for the equivalent resistance of three resistors in parallel.

36. Resistance measurement

A voltmeter of resistance RV and an ammeter of resistance RA are connected as shown in an attempt to
measure the resistance of a resistor.

iT iM
A

iV
V

If

∆V = voltage drop across resistor

= voltage drop across voltmeter
= voltmeter reading

then the true resistance of the resistor is RT = ∆V /iT . However the current iT can’t be measured directly
— the ammeter measures a slightly different current iM . Define the “measured resistance” RM = ∆V /iM
and show that
1 1 1
= − .
RT RM RV
When RV is much greater than RM , how are RM and RT related?

17
 37. Principle of minimum power dissipation
Part of a circuit consists of two resistors, R1 and R2 , in parallel. Current I flows into the top of the pair and
out of the bottom. It doesn’t matter what is in the rest of the circuit, so I haven’t shown it in the figure.

R1 R2

You know that the current I splits up so that i flows through R1 and (I − i) flows through R2 (Kirchhoff’s
junction rule). And you know that you can calculate i by demanding that the voltage drop across R1 is
equal to the voltage drop across R2 (Kirchhoff’s loop rule). This problem demonstrates a different method,
the principle of minimum power dissipation, that can also be used to calculate the amount of splitting.

a. Find the power dissipated in the two resistors P (i) as a function of i, using only Kirchhoff’s junction
rule and not Kirchhoff’s loop rule.

b. Find the value of i that minimizes P (i).

c. Show that the value of i obtained in part (b) is the true current through R1 as obtained through
Kirchhoff’s loop rule.

Although we have discussed only a single example, it turns out that the principle of minimum power dissipa-
tion always gives the correct currents in circuit problems. In most circumstances, it is easier to find currents
using Kirchhoff’s loop rule rather than the principle of minimum power dissipation, but the principle is
nevertheless interesting. For example, it is a special case of the more general principle of minimum entropy
production.

38. Capacitor discharge

You have two resistors of unknown but identical resistance. A 100 microfarad capacitor is charged by a
1.6 volt battery and then discharged through one of the resistors. The discharge is exponential with a half
life (or “halving time”) of 26.4 seconds.

Now the experiment is repeated, except that the capacitor is discharged through the two resistors con-
nected in parallel. What will be the half life for this discharge? (As always, explain your reasoning in a
sentence or two.)

18
 39. An application for RC circuits
The flashing orange lamps attached to barrels at highway construction sites use the the circuit below, where
L represents an orange fluorescent lamp.

E L
C

The lamp has these properties: When the voltage across it is less than the “breakdown voltage” VL , the
lamp has nearly infinite resistance. But when the voltage across the lamp reaches VL , electrons are stripped
from the lamp’s gas atoms, creating a plasma with nearly zero resistance, and the lamp flashes.

In this circuit, an initially uncharged capacitor is charged by the battery through the resistor: During
this phase, the lamp with nearly infinite resistance might as well be out of the circuit. But once the lamp
reaches voltage VL , the capacitor discharges rapidly and completely through this plasma: During this phase
the battery and resistor might as well be out of the circuit.

For a lamp with VL = 72.0 V, wired to an ideal battery with E = 95.0 V and a 0.150 µF capacitor, what
resistance R is needed to create two flashes per second?

Answer: 2.35 MΩ.

40. Television
Each of the electrons in the beam of a television tube (old style flickering screen, not flat panel) has a kinetic
energy of 12.0 keV. The tube is oriented with respect to the Earth’s magnetic field so that electrons move
toward magnetic north. The vertical component of Earth’s magnetic field points down and has magnitude
55.0 µT. (a.) In what direction will the beam deflect? (b.) What is the acceleration of a single electron due
to the magnetic field? (c.) How far will the beam deflect while moving 20.0 cm through the TV tube?

19
 41. Protective shield against charged bullets
A beam of electrons, each with kinetic energy K, emerges from the end of an accelerator tube. A metal plate
perpendicular to the tube is situated a distance d from its end. Your job is to make a uniform magnetic field
that will cause the electrons to deflect as shown and not strike the plate.

d
accelerator
tube

plate

What orientation should the field have? Show that the field magnitude must be
√
2mK
B>
ed
where m is the mass and −e is the charge of an electron.
~ and E
42. B ~ together
A region of space is filled with uniform upward-pointing magnetic field B ~ and uniform horizontal electric
~
field E pointing north. A particle of charge q and mass m is shot into this region horizontally on an east-west
axis. The particle is not deflected at all. . . it travels in a straight line.

a. Is the particle traveling to the east or to the west?

b. What is the magnitude of the particle’s velocity, in terms of the given quantities?

c. Your answers should be independent of the sign and magnitude of the charge q, and independent also
of the mass m. Can you understand either of these characteristics heuristically?

20
 43. Primitive motor
A conducting bar of mass m slides with negligible friction on two long horizontal rails. A uniform vertical
magnetic field B~ fills the region in which the rod moves. A constant current generator makes current i run
as shown: left on the top rail, down through the bar, and right back to the generator on the bottom rail.
This generator produces the same current i under all circumstances, even when the bar moves.

i constant
current
L i generator

(a.) If the bar is stationary at t = 0, what is the speed and direction of the bar’s motion as a function of
time? (b.) Once the bar starts to move, the total velocity of a charge carrier is the sum of the carrier’s
velocity relative to the slide wire plus the slide wire’s velocity relative to the rails. Why is it still legitimate
to use F~ = iL
~ × B?~

44. Magnetic force between two moving charged particles

Particle 1 of charge q1 moves with velocity ~v1 , and particle 2 of charge q2 moves with velocity ~v2 . They are
separated by a distance r12 and the unit vector from particle 1 to particle 2 is r̂12 .

~ and the Biot-Savart law to show that the magnetic force on

a. Combine the magnetic force law (q~v × B)
particle 2 due to particle 1 is
µ0 q1 q2
F~on 2 by 1 = 2 ~ v2 × (~v1 × r̂12 ).
4π r12

b. Suppose that particle 1 is heading due east, while particle 2, located due north of particle 1, is heading
due north. Show that the magnetic force on particle 2 due to particle 1 is finite and points east,
whereas the magnetic force on particle 1 due to particle 2 is zero. [This violation of Newton’s third
law shows that something is wrong with the above derivation. At fault is our use (actually misuse) of
the Biot-Savart law, which applies only for steady currents but which we have used for the transient
current of a single moving charge. The moral of the story is that the result of part (a), which looks
like a perfectly good analog to Coulomb’s law, is not true in general.]

c. (Optional. . . very difficult.) Integrate the Biot-Savart law around a circuit to show that when two
complete circuits interact magnetically, the magnetic force on circuit 1 due to circuit 2 is equal and
opposite to the magnetic force on circuit 2 due to circuit 1.

21
 45. An island in the stream
A straight conductor carrying current i = 27.3 mA splits into identical semicircular arcs as shown. What is
the magnetic field at the center C of the resulting circular loop? [[Clue: Think! No computation required.]]

i
C

46. Magnetic forces on wires

The figure below shows a cross section of three parallel long straight wires, each of length L  a. Each wire
carries current i in the direction shown. Find both (a) the magnetic field at and (b) the force on the lower
right-hand wire. (Remember to give both magnitude and direction for vector quantities.)

47. The thick pipe of current

Current i flows uniformly through a hollow cylindrical conductor of inner radius a and outer radius b.

a r

a. Find the magnetic field for all values of r, the distance from the axis. In particular, show that for r
within the conductor,
µ0 i r2 − a2
B(r) = .
2πr b2 − a2
b. Show that B has the expected values when r = a, when r = b, and when a = 0.

c. Sketch a graph of B(r) as a function of r from r = 0 to r  b.

22
 48. Thick wire with a bore hole
(Clue: Compare problem 13.)

a. A long cylindrical wire carries current into the page, as shown below to the left. The current density
J is uniform throughout the wire. Show that at point ~r, the magnetic field is

~ r) = µ0 J~r⊥ /2,
B(~

where ~r⊥ denotes the vector resulting when ~r is rotated clockwise by 90◦ .

b. Now suppose that a cylindrical hole is bored out of the wire, as shown below to the right. The axes
of the two cylinders are parallel and are separated by the vector ~a. The rest of the wire continues to
carry uniform current density J, but the bore hole carries no current. Show that the magnetic field is
uniform throughout the bore hole and that it is given by

~ r) = µ0 J~a⊥ /2,
B(~

c. Show that the result of part (b) reduces to the proper limit in the case that ~a = 0, and in the case
that the bore hole has radius zero.

a
r
r

23
 49. Infinite sheet of current
The figure shows a cross section of an infinite conducting sheet with current per unit y-length λ emerging
perpendicularly from the page. (You may imagine the sheet to be constructed from many long, thin, parallel
wires.)

current
y
coming
out of
page x

a. Use Biot-Savart and symmetry arguments to convince yourself that B(~~ r) is directed as shown in the
figure and that its magnitude could only depend upon the distance |x| from the sheet of current.
~ r) is µ0 λ/2 which is, surprisingly, independent of
b. Use Ampere’s law to show that the magnitude of B(~
the distance from the sheet.

c. Two parallel infinite conducting sheets transport current per unit length λ as shown below. Show that
outside of the two sheets the magnetic field vanishes, while between them it has magnitude B = µ0 λ
and the direction indicated.

current current
coming going
out of into
page page

24
 50. Practice with Lenz’s law, I
In the figure below, two coils are wrapped around rubber rods. The circuit on the left has a battery and a
variable resistance. The circuit on the right has only a galvanometer that registers the direction of current
flowing through it. In which direction will current flow through the meter when (a) the two coils are moved
closer together; (b) the variable resistance R is increased without moving the coils? [Answers: (a) left;
(b) right]

51. Practice with Lenz’s law, II

The variable resistance R in the left-hand circuit below is increased. Does the current induced in the
right-hand circuit flow clockwise or counterclockwise? [Answer: clockwise]

52. Practice with Lenz’s law, III

When the switch is closed, one of the two light bulbs glows momentarily. Which one? [Answer: bulb A]

53. The essence of induced electric field

A long solenoid has 220 turns/cm and a radius of 1.6 cm. Outside that solenoid is a 120-turn coil of radius
1.8 cm and resistance 5.3 Ω. The solenoid current drops at a steady rate from 1.5 A to zero during time
interval 25 ms. What current is induced in the coil while the solenoid current drops?

25
 54. Falling wedding ring
An N -loop coil of radius R and current i rests horizontally on a lab bench. Viewed from above, the current
flows clockwise. A wedding ring of radius r  R is held horizontally above the center of the coil, a distance
z0 above the lab bench, and then released at time t = 0. A current is induced in the wedding ring as it falls.

a. (2 points) Does the current flow clockwise or counterclockwise (as viewed from above)?

b. (8 points) The magnetic field a distance z above the center of the coil has magnitude

µ0 iN R2
.
2(R2 + z 2 )3/2

Find an expression for the induced emf in the wedding ring as a function of z and t. (Neglect air
resistance, buoyancy, and all other non-gravitational forces.)

wedding
ring

z(t)

i coil

55. Change of frequency

In the “Measurement of Magnetic Field” lab, the source and pick-up coils are at certain positions and the
pick-up coil registers an emf with peak-to-peak amplitude 38 mV. The frequency of AC current fed into the
source coil is changed from 60 Hz to 30 Hz, with no other change. What is the peak-to-peak amplitude in
the pick-up coil now?

26
 56. Alternating current generator
A commercial AC generator works by rotating (at frequency f ) a coil of N turns each with area A, immersed
~ (produced by a permanent magnet). The coil is connected to co-rotating “slip
in a uniform magnetic field B
rings”, against which carbon brushes slide to make contact with the circuit.

a. Show that the emf induced in the coil is

E(t) = 2πf N AB sin(2πf t) = E0 sin(2πf t).

b. If the loop is rotated at 60.0 rev/s in a field of 0.500 T, what value of N A is needed to produce an E0
of 150 V?

57. Primitive motor revisited

A conducting bar of mass m slides without friction on two long horizontal rails. A uniform vertical magnetic
~ fills the region in which the rod moves. A battery of emf E makes current run as shown: left on the
field B
top rail, down through the bar, and right back to the battery on the bottom rail.

L i E i

When this circuit is first set up the slide wire accelerates. But eventually the acceleration stops and the slide
wire moves at constant velocity. Describe what’s going on. Does the slide wire move left or right? Find a

27
formula for the terminal velocity. When the slide wire has reached terminal velocity, what is the current in
the circuit?

58. Induced electric field in a huge magnet

The High Field Magnet Laboratory at Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, has a pulsed
magnet named “P2” capable of changing the field in a cylindrical region of diameter 23 mm from 0 to 54 T
in 40 ms. While this change is taking place, what is the magnitude of the induced electric field 5.0 mm from
the axis?

59. Induced electric field

A uniform magnetic field in a cylindrical region of radius R increases linearly from B1 to B2 in time T . Which
of the following expressions gives the electric field induced a distance r from the cylinder’s axis (r < R)?
r B2 − B1
E(r) = , (1)
2 T
R B2 − B1
E(r) = , (2)
2 T
r B2
E(r) = , (3)
2 T
r B2 − B1
E(r) = . (4)
2 T2
Explain why the incorrect expressions must be rejected.

60. Inductors in series

Two inductors, L1 and L2 , separated by a large distance so that the magnetic field of one does not affect
the other, are connected in series. Show that the equivalent inductance is

Leq = L1 + L2 .

61. Inductors in parallel

Two inductors, L1 and L2 , separated by a large distance so that the magnetic field of one does not affect
the other, are connected in parallel. Show that the equivalent inductance is given through
1 1 1
= + .
Leq L1 L2

28
 62. Inductor in a circuit

R1 L
E

R2
i3 i1 i2

In this circuit, all elements are ideal, E = 10 V, R1 = 5.0 Ω, R2 = 10 Ω, and L = 5.0 H. Immediately after
the switch is closed, find: (a) i1 , (b) i2 , (c) i3 , (d) the potential difference ∆V2 across R2 , (e) the potential
difference ∆VL across the inductor, and (f) the rate of change di2 /dt. A long time after the switch is closed,
find: (g) i1 , (h) i2 , (i) i3 , (j) ∆V2 , (k) ∆VL , and (`) di2 /dt.

63. A different RL circuit

The switch in the circuit below is closed at time t = 0. Here are six candidate expressions for the current
through the inductor. Without solving the problem, give at least one reason why five of these candidates
cannot be correct.

L R1
E

R2

E  
1 − e−R1 R2 t/L(R1 +R2 ) (1)
R2
E  
1 − e−R1 R2 t/L(R1 +R2 ) (2)
R1
E  
2 − e−R1 R2 t/L(R1 +R2 ) (3)
R2
E  
1 − e−R1 t/L(R1 +R2 ) (4)
R2
E  
1 − e−R1 R2 t/L(R1 −R2 ) (5)
R2
E  
1 − e−R1 R2 t/L(2R1 +R2 ) (6)
R2

29
 64. Shortcut to the period of an LC oscillator
In class we solved a difficult ordinary differential equation to prove that the period of oscillation in an LC
√
circuit is T = 2π LC. The form of this result can be obtained very easily through dimensional analysis if
you assume that the period can only depend upon the values of L and of C. Do it.

65. Width of a resonance curve

At resonance frequency ω0 the current amplitude in an RLC circuit is maximized. There is a driving
frequency ω+ above ω0 at which the current amplitude has half its maximum value, and similarly for a
driving frequency ω− below ω0 . The so-called “full width at half maximum” for a resonance curve is defined
as ∆ω = ω+ − ω− .

[[This is an important quantity in practical applications. For example, if you are desiging a radio receiver
using an RLC circuit to filter out unwanted radio stations, then ∆ω should be much less than the frequency
spacing between radio stations.]]

Show that √
3R
∆ω = .
L
Warning: If x2 = 4, then x = ±2.

66. Parallel RC circuit

A capacitor C and a resistor R are connected in parallel across an ideal (zero resistance) sinusoidal AC
generator with emf E(t) = Em sin(ωt).

iG(t)

iC(t) iR(t)

C R

a. Find iR (t), the current through the resistor.

b. Find q(t), the charge on the top plate of the capacitor.

c. Find iC (t), the current through the capacitor branch.

d. Find iG (t), the current through the generator.

30
 67. AC network
In the circuit below, the constant-amplitude voltage generator delivers four times more current at very low
frequencies than it does at very high frequencies. If R1 = 100 Ω, find the resistance R2 .

L
C

R1
L
C

R2

68. Parallel RL circuit

A resistor R and an ideal (zero resistance) inductance L are connected in parallel across an ideal (zero
resistance) sinusoidal AC generator with emf E(t) = Em sin(ωt).

L R

a. At low frequencies, the amplitude of the generator current iG (t) is either (i) very small or else (ii) very
large. Which is it and why?

b. Find an expression for iG (t) that is approximately correct at high frequencies. Support your expression
with a sentence or two of reasoning.

c. At any frequency, will the amplitude of the generator current iG (t) (i) increase or (ii) decrease as the
inductance L is increased? Why?

[Answers: (a.) At low frequencies (slow changes) the inductance acts like a piece of zero-resistance wire,
so the generator current is very large. (b.) At high frequencies (rapid changes) the inductance works so
effectively opposing change that almost no current flows through the inductance branch. The inductance

31
branch can be approximated by a broken wire so iG (t) ≈ iR (t) = (Em /R) sin(ωt). (c.) The inductance
opposes current (just as a resistor does), so any increase in L causes a decrease in current amplitude. (This
decrease is greater at high frequencies, but it exists at any frequency.)]

69. Experimental detection of the Maxwell term

In 1929 R. van Cauwenberghe succeeded in measuring directly, for the first time, the displacement current
id between the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor to which a sinusoidal alternating voltage was applied.
(“Experimental verification of electromagnetic equivalence between Maxwell displacement currents and con-
duction currents,” Journal de Physique et le Radium, 10 (1929) 303–312. For later work see D.F. Bartlett
and T.R. Corle, “Measuring Maxwell’s displacement current inside a capacitor,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 55 (1985)
59–62.) Van Cauwenberghe used circular plates whose effective radius was 40.0 cm and whose capacitance
was 100 pF. The applied voltage had a maximum value Vm of 174 kV and a frequency of 50.0 Hz.

a. Show that the displacement current in a parallel-plate capacitor of capacitance C and with potential
difference ∆V between plates is id = C(d∆V /dt).

b. What maximum displacement current was present between the plates in van Cauwenberghe’s appara-
tus?

c. Speculate on why that applied voltage was chosen to be so high.

Measurements of this sort are so delicate that they were not performed in a direct manner until more than
60 years after Maxwell developed the concept of displacement current!

70. How does i2 R heating power get to a resistor?

Consider a cylindrical resistor of length `, radius a, and resistivity ρ, carrying a current i.

a. Show that the Poynting vector S~ at the resistor’s surface points perpendicularly into the resistor, and
has magnitude ρi2 /(2π 2 a3 ).

b. Find the rate at which electromagnetic energy flows into the resistor by multiplying the magnitude of
~ times the area of the side of the cylinder.
S

c. Show that this rate is equal to i2 R.

In other words, the energy that appears in a resistor as thermal energy does not enter it through the
connecting wires, but instead travels through the empty space surrounding the wires and resistor.

71. Energy flow in circuits, qualitative

A cylindrical ideal battery sends current through ideal wires to a cylindrical resistor. Sketch the electric and
magnetic field lines in the vicinity of the battery and of the resistor, then draw in the Poynting vector at
the surface of each. Conclude that energy is seeping out of the sides of the battery and into the sides of the
resistor.

32
 72. Stacks of polarizing sheets
A beam of unpolarized light is incident on a stack of n + 1 (n ≥ 1) polarizing sheets. The polarizing direction
of the first sheet is vertical, and all the rest are oriented at an angle of 90◦ /n to the right of the previous
sheet (thus the second is 90◦ /n to the right of vertical, the third is 2(90◦ /n) to the right of vertical, and
the last is 90◦ to the right of vertical). Show that the fraction of the incident intensity transmitted by the
system is
1 2n ◦
2 cos (90 /n).

What are the limits of this expression when n = 1 and when n → ∞? Show that the fraction transmitted
increases monotonically as n increases.

73. Circularly polarized standing waves

At the fall 1997 meeting of the Ohio Section of the American Physical Society, two friends of mine engaged
in a heated argument concerning circularly polarized standing light waves. Both agreed that—as mentioned
in class—the electric field behaved like a jump rope. But they disagreed on how the magnetic field behaved:
Professor Ron Stoner of Bowling Green State University maintained that the magnetic field would point in
the same plane as the electric field, whereas Professor Glenn Julian of Miami University maintained that it
would point in the plane perpendicular to the electric field. Resolve the controversy by politely but decisively
proving one professor wrong. (Clue: Consider the vertical plane that passes through the “turners” of the
“jump rope”. Apply Faraday’s law to a rectangular loop within that plane at the instant the electric field
points vertically.)

74. N-slit interference

The Young double-slit interference experiment is repeated with N instead of two slits. Adjacent slits are
separated by a distance d, and N ≥ 2. At what angles θ are the interference maxima located? Do not solve
this problem, but instead show that only one of the five candidate solutions advanced below is feasible. (In
all cases m = 0, ±1, ±2, . . ..)

d sin θ = (m + 12 )λ (1)
d sin θ = mN λ (2)
2
d sin θ = m[λ + (N − 2)λ ] (3)
d sin θ = mλ (4)
d2
 
d sin θ = mλ 1 + (N − 2) 2 (5)
λ

[Answer: The first and second candidates give incorrect results for the special case N = 2. The third is
dimensionally inconsistent. The fourth is feasible and, in fact, correct. When N > 2 the fifth will have sin θ
large when λ/d is small, which (i) does not give the correct limit of ray optics for small wavelengths, and
(ii) raises the specter of sin θ > 1.]

33
 75. Sandstone quarry
Eighty years ago sandstone quarrying was an important industry in the Oberlin area. (See Sandstone Center
of the World by James Hieb (Lulu, 2007).) Quarry operators would sometimes flood the bottoms of their
quarries knee-deep in water to make it easier for workers to carry stone. Suppose a particular sandstone
slab weighs 533 newtons in air and 293 newtons when completely immersed in water. Taking the density of
water to be exactly 1000 kg/m3 , what is the density of sandstone?

76. True love

Your (boy/girl)friend gives you a shiny ring of silver color. The ring has no gemstone, instead it’s a uniform
metallic band inscribed with the aphorism “I love you as much as I love physics.” You borrow a jeweler’s
spring scale and hang the ring from it on a thread: the spring scale reads 12.3 carats. Then you immerse the
ring in a cup of water: the spring scale now reads 11.7 carats. Taking the density of water to be 1.00 g/cm3 ,
which substance do you think your new ring is made of?

substance density (g/cm3 )

nickel 8.9
silver 10.5
palladium 12.0
“white gold” alloy 15.4
platinum 21.4

77. Rubber band work

A rubber band displays the same unusual property that water does between 0◦ C and 4◦ C, namely it
contracts when its temperature increases. A block of mass 2.147 kg is suspended from a rubber band of
mass 17.04 g. An electric hair dryer increases the rubber band’s temperature by 3.141 K and the block
rises 2.733 cm. What is the change in the rubber band’s internal energy? (The heat capacity of rubber is
2.010 J/g·K.)

78. Carbon sequestration

(Acknowledgement: This problem derives from Professor John Scofield’s work on the American Physical
Society’s Panel On Public Affairs, Study Group on Energy Efficiency, report issued 16 September 2008.) One
possible “clean coal” technology relies on so-called “carbon sequestration”: instead of CO2 , a greenhouse
gas, being released into the atmosphere, it is pumped down into rock formations and stored far below the
Earth’s surface. The first step in such a process would be purification: Start with air (at pressure pi and
temperature T ) that has mole fraction fCO2 of CO2 , and end up with pure CO2 at the same pressure and
temperature. The question is, how much work would this purification process require? Show that if this
process is executed isothermally, and if air and CO2 can be treated as ideal gases, then the minimum work
needed to purify N moles of CO2 is −N RT ln(fCO2 ). Does this expression have the proper sign? The proper
limits when fCO2 = 1 and when fCO2 = 0?

Clues: Suppose we had a filter that passed CO2 but no other gas. Place that filter at the base of a piston
cylinder, with the piston all the way down. Pull back the piston to draw in an appropriate amount of CO2 .

34
Now we have pure CO2 , but its pressure is down to fCO2 pi . Replace the filter with a piece of wall and thrust
in the piston until the pressure is back up to pi . Both of these strokes require work.

79. Adiabatic expansion

Do not solve this problem:

An ideal gas with heat-capacity ratio γ expands adiabitacally from initial temperature Ti and
volume Vi to final volume Vf . If there are n moles of gas, how much work does the gas perform?

Instead, explain briefly why four of these five candidate answers must be wrong.
"  γ−1 #
(n − 1)RTi Vi
1− (1)
γ−1 Vf
"  γ−1 #
nRTi Vi
1− (2)
γ−1 Vf
"  γ−1 #
nRTi Vf
1− (3)
γ−1 Vi
"  #
γ−1
nRTi Vi
−1 (4)
γ−1 Vf
"  γ−1 #
nRTi2 Vi
1− (5)
γ−1 Vf

80. Helium engine

A Carnot engine acts quasistatically between two heat baths at atmospheric pressure: The high temperature
bath is liquid water in equilibrium with steam, the low temperature bath is liquid water in equilibrium
with ice. The working substance of the Carnot engine is Helium, which at these temperatures can be
approximated to high accuracy as an ideal gas with γ = 35 . In the first leg of the Carnot cycle the Helium
expands isothermally from 1.47 m3 to 3.96 m3 . What is the engine’s efficiency?

81. Thermoelectric engine

A single loop circuit is made with two different kinds of wire, and the two junctions are placed at different
temperatures. It is discovered experimentally that an electric potential difference arises between the two
junctions. This so-called Seebeck effect is responsible for the workings of thermocouples.

For example, if one wire is made of copper, and the other of nickel, then a potential difference of 26.3 µV
will arise for every K of temperature difference. (This datum derives from the 1981 Physics Vade Mecum,
table 22.09. Strangely enough, I could not find this information on the Internet!) This potential difference
can act as a seat of emf driving current around the circuit and, of course, this current can drive an electric
motor.

Suppose the two junctions are at 400 K and at 200 K, the resistance of the loop plus electric motor is
26.3 Ω, and the apparatus operates quasistatically. What is the efficiency?

35
 82. Stirling cycle
The Stirling cycle heat engine was invented in 1816 by the Reverend Robert Stirling. In the idealized form
of this cycle, the working substance expands at constant temperature TH from volume VA to volume VB .
Then the working substance is cooled at constant volume to temperature TL . Then it contracts at constant
temperature from volume VB to volume VA . Finally it is heated at constant volume back to the original
temperature TH . If the working substance is n moles of an ideal gas, find a formula for (a) the work done
and (b) the heat absorbed in one cycle of this engine.

83. Otto cycle

The heat engine in most gasoline-powered automobile engines works following the Otto cycle. (Patented by
Eugenio Barsanti and Felice Matteucci in 1854 but made practical by Nikolaus Otto in 1876.) There are
four steps in the idealized form of this cycle:

1. The working substance at initial temperature Tmin and volume Vmax is compressed adiabatically to
volume Vmin .

2. Next the temperature increases to Tmax with no change in volume.

3. Then the working substance expands adiabatically to the initial volume Vmax .

4. Finally the temperature decreases to its initial value Tmin with no change in volume.

If the working substance is n moles of an ideal gas with heat-capacity ratio γ, show that the work done
during one cycle of this engine is
"  γ−1 # "  γ−1 #
nRTmax Vmax nRTmin Vmin
1− + 1− .
γ−1 Vmin γ−1 Vmax

84. Entropy change

At low temperatures the heat capacity of a ceramic is given to close approximation by CV = kD T 3 . Find
the entropy change of this ceramic when its temperature changes from Ti to Tf . (Both temperatures are low
enough that the approximation is appropriate.)

36