Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia

Science Faculty - School of Physics

Electrodynamics

Professor: Emerson Chiquillo

1. Introduction to Electrostatics
NOTES:
Clearly explain the procedure used in the development of each exercise.
Pencil exercises ARE NOT accepted.
1. (0.8 points)
(a) The singular nature of the Laplacian of 1/r can be exhibited formally in terms of a Dirac delta
distribution. Since 2 (1/r ) = 0 for r 6= 0, using the divergence theorem show
 
2 1

= 4(r)
(1)
r
Hint: first show (1/r ) = r /r2 and take into account the definition of the solid angle d.
(b) The electric potential of some configuration is given by
(r) = A

er
r

(2)

where A and are positive constants. Show that the charge density can be written as
= e0 [4(r) 2 er /r ]

(3)

Hint: Use the Gusss law and take into account the vector identity (A) = A + A
2. (1.1 points) The time-averaged potential of a neutral hydrogen atom is given by
q e2r/a0
=
4e0 r

r
1+
a0


(4)

where q is the magnitude of the electronic charge and a0 is the Bohr radius. Find the charge density,
the total charge that will give this potential and interpret your result physically. (Hint: use spherical
coordinates).
3. (0.6 points) Lets consider three charged spheres of radius a, each has a total charge Q. One conducting, one having a uniform charge density within its volume, and one having a spherically symmetric
charge density that varies radially as r n . Use Gausss law to obtain the electric fields both inside and
outside each sphere. Sketch the behavior of the fields as a function of radius for the first two spheres,
and for the third with n = 2 and n = 2.
4. (0.8 points)
(a) A hollow spherical shell (with radius such that a < b) carries charge density = k/r2 , in the
region a r b (k is a positive constant). Find the electric field in the regions: r < a, a < r < b,
r > b. Plot E as a function of r.
1

Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia

Science Faculty - School of Physics
Electrodynamics
(b) Find the potential inside and outside a uniformly charged solid sphere whose radius is R and
whose total charge is q. Use infinity as your reference point. (Hint: first find the electric field of
the system).
5. (1.1 points) Imagine that new and extraordinary precise measurements have revealed an error in
Coulombs law. The new force of interaction between two point charges is found to be
F=

r  r/
1 q1 q2 
1
+
e
r
4e0 r2

(5)

where is a positive constant. You are charged with the task of reformulating electrostatics to
accommodate the new discovery. Assume the principle of superposition still holds.
(a) What is the electric field expresion of a charge distribution ?.
(b) Show that the potential of a point charge q is given as
q er/
4e0 r

(6)

(c) At a distance R of a point charge q located at the origin, show that

I
S

E dS +

1
2

Z
V

dV =

q
e0

(7)

where S is the surface and V the volume of any sphere centered at q. (Hint: given the spherical
symmetry of the system, the electric flux can be considered as ES).
6. (0.6 points) Show that the total energy of an arbitrary system of charges (fixed) is given by
e0
U=
2

|E|2 dV

(8)

Hint: Use the definition of electric potential as work per unit of charge. Take into account the vector
identity given in point 1.