Paper 1, Section II, A

Electromagnetism | Part IB, 2015

(i) Write down the Lorentz force law for dp/dtd \mathbf{p} / d t due to an electric field E\mathbf{E} and magnetic field B\mathbf{B} acting on a particle of charge qq moving with velocity x˙\dot{\mathbf{x}}.

(ii) Write down Maxwell's equations in terms of cc (the speed of light in a vacuum), in the absence of charges and currents.

(iii) Show that they can be manipulated into a wave equation for each component of E\mathbf{E}.

(iv) Show that Maxwell's equations admit solutions of the form

E(x,t)=Re(E0ei(ωtkx))\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{x}, t)=\operatorname{Re}\left(\mathbf{E}_{0} e^{i(\omega t-\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x})}\right)

where E0\mathbf{E}_{\mathbf{0}} and k\mathbf{k} are constant vectors and ω\omega is a constant (all real). Derive a condition on kE0\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{E}_{\mathbf{0}} and relate ω\omega and k\mathbf{k}.

(v) Suppose that a perfect conductor occupies the region z<0z<0 and that a plane wave with k=(0,0,k),E0=(E0,0,0)\mathbf{k}=(0,0,-k), \mathbf{E}_{0}=\left(E_{0}, 0,0\right) is incident from the vacuum region z>0z>0. Write down boundary conditions for the E\mathbf{E} and B\mathbf{B} fields. Show that they can be satisfied if a suitable reflected wave is present, and determine the total E\mathbf{E} and B\mathbf{B} fields in real form.

(vi) At time t=π/(4ω)t=\pi /(4 \omega), a particle of charge qq and mass mm is at (0,0,π/(4k))(0,0, \pi /(4 k)) moving with velocity (c/2,0,0)(c / 2,0,0). You may assume that the particle is far enough away from the conductor so that we can ignore its effect upon the conductor and that qE0>0q E_{0}>0. Give a unit vector for the direction of the Lorentz force on the particle at time t=π/(4ω)t=\pi /(4 \omega).

(vii) Ignoring relativistic effects, find the magnitude of the particle's rate of change of velocity in terms of E0,qE_{0}, q and mm at time t=π/(4ω)t=\pi /(4 \omega). Why is this answer inaccurate?

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