Lecture 5

Peter Fisher

Feb. 16, 2011

Potential from a charged disk
The contribution from a small patch is
dφ p
dq=σρdρdφ dφ = dq/r = σρdρdθ/ ρ2 + z 2
dρ
(ρ²+z²)⁰.⁵ and
ρ
^z R 2π
Z Z Z
σρ
z
φ(z) = dφ = dρ dθ p
P 0 0 ρ2 + z 2
Z R
ρdρ
= 2πσ p .
0 ρ2 + z 2

Take u = ρ2 + z 2 → du = 2ρdρ and

Z R 2 +z 2 √ 2 +z 2
du hp i
φ = πσ √ = 2πσ u|R
z 2 = 2πσ R 2 + z2 − z
z2 u
 h√ i
The potential φ = 2πσ R 2 + z 2 − z only depends on z so
 
~ ∂φ z
E = − ẑ = −2πσ √ − 1 ẑ
∂z R2 + z2
Very close to the disk, z << R, the disk should look like a charged
sheet. Then,
z ~ = 2πσẑ.
√ − 1 → −1 and E
R2 + z2
Very far, z >> R, the disk should look like a point charge with
Q = πr 2 σ and

z z R2 R2
√ −1= p −1∼1− 2 −1=− 2
R2 + z2 z 1 + R 2 /z 2 2z 2z

which gives
2
~ = σπR ẑ
E
z2
Here R=1, so at z > 2R, the
disk looks like a point charge.
Gauss theorem
^
z
~ , the flux
For any vector function F
through a little box is
Z dz
^
y
φlittle box = ~ · dA
F ~ dx
little box dy
^
x

= [Fx (x + dx, y , z) − Fx (x, y , z)] dydz

+ [Fy (x, y + dy , z) − Fx (x, y , z)] dxdz
+ [Fz (x, y , z + dz) − Fx (x, y , z)] dxdy
∂Fx ∂Fy ∂Fz
= dxdydz + dxdydz + dxdydz
∂x ∂y ∂z
Z
= ∇ ~ dV
~ ·F
little box
Gauss theorem

We have Z Z
~ · dA
F ~ = ~ dV
~ ·F
∇
little box little box

Can stack up little boxes into any

S volume V with surface S, so Gauss
Theorem is completely general:
Z Z
~ ~
F · dA = ~ ·F
∇ ~ dV .
S V

This is true for any vector function

~
F
R . Gauss Law R
V ~ ~
A E · d A = 4π V ρdV is specific to
~.
E
~ × ∇f
∇ ~

~ = ∇f
If F ~ = 0. Proof:
~ then curl F

~
F ~ = ∂f x̂ + ∂f ŷ + ∂f ẑ then
= ∇f
∂x ∂y ∂z
 
 x̂ ŷ ẑ 

~
~ ×F ~ × ∇f ∂
~ =  ∂x ∂ ∂ 
∇ = ∇
 ∂f ∂y ∂f
∂z 
∂f 
 ∂x ∂y ∂z

 2
∂2f

∂ f
= − x̂
∂y ∂z ∂z∂y
 2
∂2f

∂ f
+ − ŷ
∂z∂x ∂x∂z
 2
∂2f

∂ f
+ − ẑ = 0
∂x∂y ∂y ∂x