Jackson 3.

3 Homework Problem Solution

Dr. Christopher S. Baird
University of Massachusetts Lowell
PROBLEM:
A thin, flat, conducting, circular disc of radius R is located in the x-y plane with its center at the origin,
and is aintained at a fi!ed potential V. "ith the inforation that the charge density on a disc at fi!ed
potential is proportional to #R
$
%
$
&
-'($
, where is the distance out fro the center of the disc,
#a& show that for r ) R the potential is
4(r ,0 ,)=
$V

R
r

l=*

(')
l
$l +'
(
R
r
)
$l
P
$l
(cos 0)
#+& find the potential for r , R.
#c& "hat is the capacitance of the disc-
SOLUTO!:
"arnin#$ .he solution that /ac0son gives is wrong. Let us solve the pro+le the wrong way #the way
/ac0son e!pects&, then show why this solution is wrong. .hen let us solve the pro+le the right way
and figure out where /ac0son went wrong.
T%e "ron# "a&:
#a& .he surface charge density was stated to +e1
u=
S
.R
$
r
$
for r , R and * otherwise
.he three-diensional charge density is then1
p=S
'
.R
$
r
$
6(0/ $)
r
for r , R and * otherwise
.o find out what S is in ters of the potential V, use Coulo+2s law which integrates over all the
charge density to find the potential at the origin and set it e3ual to V1
4=
'
4c
*

p('2 )
''2
d '2
V =
'
4c
*

p(' 2)
'2
d '2
V =
'
4
*

*
$

*
R
S
'
R
$
r 2
$
(2 / $)
r 2
'
r 2
r 2
$
sin 2 d r 2 d 2 d 2
V =S
'
$c
*

*
R
'
.R
$
r 2
$
d r 2
V =S
'
$c
*

sin
'
(
r 2
R
)
|
*
R
S=
4c
*
V

5ow 0nowing S, plugging it +ac0 in, we have the final for of the charge density1
=
4
*
V

'
R
$
r
$
(/ $)
r
for r , R and * otherwise
5ow apply Coulo+2s Law to find the potential at any point on the z a!is1
4=
'
4c
*

p('2 )
''2
d '2
Use
'
rr
*

l =*

r
,
l
r
)
l +'
P
l
(cos 2) to e!pand this #which is allowed +ecause we are on the z a!is&.
4=
'
4c
*

*
$

*
R
4c
*
V

'
.R
$
r 2
$
6(02/ $)
r 2

l=*

r
,
l
r
)
l+'
P
l
(cos02 ) r 2
$
sin02 d r 2 d 02 d 2
4=
$V

l=*

*
R
'
.R
$
r 2
$
r
,
l
r
)
l+'
P
l
(*) r 2 d r 2
"e have to treat the two regions separately. Let us loo0 at the r ) R2 region +ecause its integral is
easier. 6or r ) R we also have r ) r2 so that1
4=
$V

l=*

P
l
(*)
r
l +'

*
R
'
.R
$
r 2
$
r 2
l +'
d r 2
Ma0e a change of varia+les
u=.R
$
r 2
$
and udu=r 2 d r 2
4=
$V

l=*

P
l
(*)
r
l +'

*
R
( R
$
u
$
)
l / $
du
5ow P
l
#*& is 7ero for l odd, so only even l ters contri+ute. Let us rela+el to ta0e account for this fact1
4=
$V

l=*

'
r
$l +'

*
R
P
$l
(*)( R
$
u
$
)
l
du
8f we do the integral case +y case for l 9 *, ', $... the integration is trivial and we soon see a pattern1
4(r ,0 ,)=
$V

R
r

l=*

(')
l
$l +'
(
R
r
)
$l
5ow we ust ree+er that this is only valid on the z a!is. "e can a0e use of the handy theore
that for pro+les with a7iuthal syetry, the general solution is :ust the solution on the 7-a!is,
ultiplied +y P#cos &1
d(r , , )=
$V

R
r

l =*

(')
l
$l +'
(
R
r
)
$l
P
$l
(cos) for r > R
.his is the solution #the wrong one /ac0son e!pects& to the potential in the e!terior region.
#+& .o find the potential in the near region #r , R&, first note that the pro+le has a7iuthal syetry
and no charge in the near region, so the general solution to the Laplace e3uation holds1
d(r , , )=

l=*

(A
l
r
l
+B
l
r
l '
)P
l
(cos)
"e need a finite solution at the origin, so the solution ust have the for1
d(r , , )=

l=*

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos)
for r < R
.his solution for the potential in the outer region ust atch the solution for the potential in the inner
region at the interface where they touch, r 9 R1
$V

l =*, even

(')
l / $
l+'
P
l
(cos)=

l =*

A
l
R
l
P
l
(cos)
.he Legendre polynoials are orthogonal, so the coefficients ust atch up separately, leading to1
A
l
=
$V

(')
l /$
l +'
R
l
and A
l
9 * for l odd
.he solution for the near region is therefore1
d(r , , )=
$V

l =*

(')
l
$l +'
(
r
R
)
$l
P
$l
(cos)
5ow, the plate is held at V, so the solution to the potential should reduce down to the constant V for
=/ $ and r , R, independent of r. 8t should +e o+vious that the solution a+ove does not reduce to V
on the disc. .he factor P
l
#*& is 7ero only for l odd, +ut this solution only has l even. .he correct solution
will have only l odd values.
T%e (orrect "a&:
5ote that there are really four regions that we need to treat,
separately, as indicted in the diagra. 8n each region, there is no
charge, there is a7iuthal syetry, and the poles are included, so
the solution to the potential has the for1
d(r , , )=

l=*

(A
l
r
l
+B
l
r
l '
)P
l
(cos)
.he inner regions include the origin, so they ust have all B
l
7ero
to have a finite solution at the origin. Siilarly, the outer regions
include infinity, which we can assue to have 7ero potential,
leading to all A
l
+eing 7ero in these regions. ;ur solutions in all
regions therefore +ecoe1
d
out,up
(r , , )=

l =*

B
l
r
l'
P
l
(cos )
for r ) R and < , =($
d
out,down
(r , , )=

l =*

B
l ,down
r
l'
P
l
(cos)
for r > R and < ) =($
d
in,up
(r , , )=

l=*

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos)
for r , R and < , =($
d
in,down
(r , , )=

l=*

A
l , down
r
l
P
l
(cos)
for r < R and < ) =($
6irst, due to syetry, the potential at any point in an upper region ust e3ual the potential at the
irror point across the x-y plane1
d( z)=d(z)
d
in,up
(cos)=d
in,down
(cos )
and
d
out,up
(cos )=d
out,down
(cos)

l=*

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos)=

l =*

A
l , down
r
l
P
l
(cos)
and
l=*

B
l
r
l '
P
l
(cos)=

l =*

B
l ,down
r
l'
P
l
(cos)
A
l , down
=A
l
(')
l
and B
l , down
=B
l
(')
l
"ith these findings, our solutions now +ecoe1
z
x
R
>
out,up
>
out,down
>
in,down
>
in,up
V
d
out,up
(r , , )=

l =*

B
l
r
l'
P
l
(cos )
for r ) R and < , =($
d
out,down
(r , , )=

l =*

B
l
(')
l
r
l'
P
l
(cos)
for r > R and < ) =($
d
in,up
(r , , )=

l=*

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos)
for r , R and < , =($
d
in,down
(r , , )=

l=*

A
l
(')
l
r
l
P
l
(cos)
for r < R and < ) =($
5ote that +y forcing the upper and lower region potentials to +e irror iages, we autoatically ade
the atch up at their interface, and have already ta0en care of this +oundary condition.
5e!t, the potential in the inner regions ust +ecoe V on the disc.
V =

l =*

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos(/ $))
and
V =

l =*

A
l
(')
l
r
l
P
l
(cos(/ $))
leading to1
A
*
=V
,
l ='

A
l
r
l
P
l
(*)=*
, and
l ='

A
l
(')
l
r
l
P
l
(*)=*
5ote that P
l
#*& 9 * for all l odd, in which case the last two e3uations are autoatically satisfied. 6or l
even, P
l
#*& is not 7ero, so1
A
l
=* for l even, l >*
;ur solution so far is1
d
out,up
(r , , )=

l =*

B
l
r
l'
P
l
(cos )
for r ) R and < , =($
d
out,down
(r , , )=

l =*

B
l
(')
l
r
l'
P
l
(cos)
for r > R and < ) =($
d
in,up
(r , , )=V +

l=',?,@. .

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos)
for r , R and < , =($
d
in,down
(r , , )=V +

l=',?,@. ..

A
l
(')
l
r
l
P
l
(cos )
for r , R and < > /2
5ote that now that l is odd, #-'&
l
is always :ust -'. .he potential in the inner-down region therefore
+ecoes
d
in,down
(r , , )=V

l=',?,@. ..

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos)
. .he solutions in the two inner regions can now +e
co+ined into
d
in
(r , , )=V +sgn(cos)

l=',?,@...

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos )
where sgn#cos <& is A' for < , =($ and
-' for < ) =($. Also note that +ecause the potential in the inner regions and outer regions ust atch at
r 9 R, and due to orthogonality, only the l 9 odd ters will contri+ute in the outer regions as well. .he
outer region solutions can therefore +e co+ined in the sae way. ;ur solution so far is thus1
d
out
(r , , )=
B
*
r
+sgn(cos)

l =',?,@...

B
l
r
l'
P
l
(cos)
d
in
(r , , )=V +sgn(cos)

l=',?,@...

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos )
5e!t, the potentials of the inner and outer regions should atch at r 9 R1
d
in
(R , , )=d
out
( R , , )
V +sgn(cos )

l =',?,@...

A
l
R
l
P
l
(cos)=
B
*
R
+sgn(cos)

l=',?,@. .
B
l
R
l'
P
l
(cos )
.he Legendre polynoials are orthogonal, so we atch up coefficients. Matching up all coefficients,
we find1
B
*
=V R
and B
l
=A
l
R
$l+'
.he solution so far +ecoes1
d
out
(r , , )=V
R
r
+sgn(cos )

l =',?,@...

A
l
R
$l+'
r
l '
P
l
(cos)
for r ) R
d
in
(r , , )=V +sgn(cos)

l=',?,@...

A
l
r
l
P
l
(cos )
for r , R
All the A
l
at this point are ar+itrary, so let us redefine A
l
as A
l
(R
l
to a0e these e3uations syetric,
leading to1
d
out
(r , , )=V
R
r
+sgn(cos )

l =',?,@...

A
l
(
R
r
)
l+'
P
l
(cos ) for r ) R
d
in
(r , , )=V +sgn(cos)

l=',?,@...

A
l
(
r
R
)
l
P
l
(cos) for r , R
.he last set of coefficients can +e found +y relating the electric field across the plate1
(E
$
E
'
)n
'$
=
o

*
(E
in,down
E
in,up
)

=
o

*
where
o=
S
R
$
r
$
for a conducting plate
.o find out what S is in ters of the potential V, use Coulo+2s law to integrate over all the charge
density and find the potential at the origin and set it e3ual to V1
V =
'
4
*

o(' 2)
' 2
d a
V =
'
4
*

*
$

*
R
S
'
R
$
r 2
$
'
r 2
r 2 sin 2 d r 2 d 2
V =S
'
$c
*

*
R
'
.R
$
r 2
$
d r 2
V =S
'
$c
*

sin
'
(
r 2
R
)
|
*
R
S=
4
*
V

Using this value, the +oundary condition on the electric field across the plate now +ecoes1
(\ d
in,down
+\d
in,up
)

=
4V

'
R
$
r
$

'
r
cd
in,down
c
+
'
r
cd
in,up
c
=
4V

'
R
$
r
$

cd
in,down
c
+
cd
in,up
c
=
4V

r
R
'
'(r / R)
$
Berfor a +inoial e!pansion on the right side, using
'
'x
$
='+
'
$
x
$
+
'?
$4
x
4
+
'?@
$4C
x
C
+...

cd
in,down
c
+
cd
in,up
c
=
4V

r
R
+
'
$
(
r
R
)
?
+
'?
$4
(
r
R
)
@
+
'?@
$4C
(
r
R
)
D
+...
|

cd
in,down
c
+
cd
in,up
c
=
4V

l =',?,@. ..
(l $)! !
(l ')! !
(
r
R
)
l
|

cd
in,down
c
+
cd
in,up
c
=
4V

l =',?,@. ..
(')
l '
$
P
l '
(*)
(
r
R
)
l
|
A Legendre polynoial identity was used in the last step to get the right side in a for that we
anticipate will +e on the left side. 5ow evaluate the derivatives1
$

l=',?,@. ..

A
l
(
r
R
)
l

c
c
P
l
(cos)
|
=/ $
=
4V

l =',?,@. ..
(')
l '
$
P
l '
(*)
(
r
R
)
l
|
$

l =',?,@...

A
l
(
r
R
)
l

c
c x
P
l
( x)
|
x=*
=
4V

l =',?,@...
(')
l '
$
P
l '
(*)
(
r
R
)
l
|
$

l =',?,@...

A
l
(
r
R
)
l

l x P
l
( x)l P
l '
( x)
x
$
'
|
x=*
=
4V

l =',?,@. ..
(')
l '
$
P
l '
(*)
(
r
R
)
l
|
$

l =',?,@...

A
l
(
r
R
)
l

l P
l '
(*)
|
=
4V

l =',?,@...
(')
l'
$
P
l '
(*)
(
r
R
)
l
|
A
l
=
$V
l
(')
l+'
$
;ur final solution is therefore1
d
out
(r , , )=V
R
r
+sgn(cos )
$V

l=',?,@. ..

(')
l +'
$
l
(
R
r
)
l+'
P
l
(cos )
for r ) R
d
in
(r , , )=V +sgn(cos)
$V

l=',?,@. ..

(')
l +'
$
l
(
r
R
)
l
P
l
(cos)
for r , R
5ote that this solution o+eys all the +oundary conditions that it should. ;n the plate, P
l
#cos <& +ecoes
P
l
#*&, which is 7ero for l odd, leaving :ust the constant V as it should.
So where did /ac0son go wrong- .he syetry of the pro+le re3uires Legendre polynoials with l
odd, +ut /ac0son2s solution had l even, indicating that he got the syetry wrong.
#c& .he total charge is1
Q=

*
$

p(r 2 , 02 ,2) r 2
$
sin 02 d r 2 d 0 2 d 2
Q=Ec
*
V

*
R
'
.R
$
r 2
$
r 2 d r 2
Q=Ec
*
V .R
$
r 2
$
|
*
R
Q=Ec
*
V R
Q
V
=Ec
*
R
.his is the capacitance1
=Ec
*
R