Paper 2, Section I, A

Electromagnetism | Part IB, 2019

Write down the solution for the scalar potential φ(x)\varphi(\mathbf{x}) that satisfies

2φ=1ε0ρ,\nabla^{2} \varphi=-\frac{1}{\varepsilon_{0}} \rho,

with φ(x)0\varphi(\mathbf{x}) \rightarrow 0 as r=xr=|\mathbf{x}| \rightarrow \infty. You may assume that the charge distribution ρ(x)\rho(\mathbf{x}) vanishes for r>Rr>R, for some constant RR. In an expansion of φ(x)\varphi(\mathbf{x}) for rRr \gg R, show that the terms of order 1/r1 / r and 1/r21 / r^{2} can be expressed in terms of the total charge QQ and the electric dipole moment p\mathbf{p}, which you should define.

Write down the analogous solution for the vector potential A(x)\mathbf{A}(\mathbf{x}) that satisfies

2A=μ0J\nabla^{2} \mathbf{A}=-\mu_{0} \mathbf{J}

with A(x)0\mathbf{A}(\mathbf{x}) \rightarrow \mathbf{0} as rr \rightarrow \infty. You may assume that the current J(x)\mathbf{J}(\mathbf{x}) vanishes for r>Rr>R and that it obeys J=0\nabla \cdot \mathbf{J}=0 everywhere. In an expansion of A(x)\mathbf{A}(\mathbf{x}) for rRr \gg R, show that the term of order 1/r1 / r vanishes.

[\left[\right. Hint: xj(xiJj)=Ji+xiJjxj.]\left.\frac{\partial}{\partial x_{j}}\left(x_{i} J_{j}\right)=J_{i}+x_{i} \frac{\partial J_{j}}{\partial x_{j}} .\right]

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