5

10

11

12

1
3.3) We would like to find the potential created by a thin, flat conducting circular disc of radius
p R located in the
x y plane, mantained at fixed potential V . The charge density on a disc is proportional to 1/ R2 r2 , where r is
the distance from the center of the disc.
WARNING: Unfortunately the solution in the Jackson is wrong. Nevertheless, we will give credit
to everyone who solved the problem according to Jackson!
To show that the Jacksons solution is wrong, we note that there is no charge on the sphere at r = R in 3D, hence
we can use analytic continuation of from r > R to r < R at finite ( = 0 might be problematic because the disc
is located in the x y plane). Using analytic continuation, we conclude that Jackson proposes solution
1
2V X ( 1)l r 2l
P2l (cos )

2l + 1 R

(r < R) =

(1)

l=0

which gives at = /2 non-constant potential, i.e.,

(r < R, = /2) =

1
2V
2V X ( 1)l r 2l
+
P2l (0) 6= V

2l + 1 R

(2)

l=1

Correct solution of 3.3

All points in 3D, except at ( = /2, r < R), satisfy the Laplace Eq. r2 = 0. The solution at all points except
at /2 has to satisfy
X r l
inside
(r) =
Bl
Pl (cos )
(3)
R
l
X R l+1
outside
(r) =
Bl
Pl (cos )
(4)
r
l

We already took into account the analytic continuation across the boundary at r = R. We might have dierent Bl s
for < /2 and > /2, because there is a charged disc present at = /2. At = /2 the potential is continuous,
but it must have discontinuous derivative (because electric field jumps). Let us concentrate on < /2 for now.
Approaching point /2 from above, we have the condition of a constant potential on the surface of the conducting
disc, i.e.,
inside

V =

(r, = /2) = B0 +

1
X
l=1

Bl

r l
R

Pl (0)

(5)

This is satisfied for all r < R only if B0 = V and B2n = 0 (n integer) because P2n (0) 6= 0. On the other hand
P2n+1 (0) = 0, hence arbitrary coefficients B2n+1 are possible. We thus have
inside

(r) = V +

1
X

B2n+1

n=0
outside

r 2n+1
R

R X
+
B2n+1
r
n=0

(r) = V

R
r

P2n+1 (cos )

2n+2

P2n+1 (cos )

(6)
(7)

To determine coefficients B2n+1 , we note that the electric field needs to be such that it gives rise to the given surface
charge distribution = pR2 r2 . The electric field just above the conducting disc is
Er = 0
E =

(8)
1
X

2n

1 @ (r, = /2)
r
dP2n+1
=
B2n+1 2n+1
(0)
r
@
R
dx
n=0

(9)
(10)

The normal component of the electric field is proportional to the surface charge, hence
p

/2
R2

r2

= 0 Einside ( = /2),

(11)

2
where we took into account that half of the charge appears on the upper part of the conducting disc, and half on the
lower part. This equation has to be satisified for every r < R, hence every power of r has to match. Note that only
even powers in r appear on both the right and the left hand side. We thus perform power expansion and compare
term by term:
1
1
r 2n
X
(n + 12 )
/2 X
r2n dP2n+1
= 0
B2n+1 2n+1
(0)
R n=0 (n + 1) (1/2) R
R
dx
n=0

(12)
(13)

We thus conclude
B2n+1 =

(n + 12 )
20 P 0 2n+1 (0) (n + 1) (1/2)

(14)

( 1)n
20 2n + 1

(15)

which can be simplified to

B2n+1 =
We finally have for < /2 the following solution
1
X
( 1)n r 2n+1
P2n+1 (cos )
20 n=0 2n + 1 R
2n+2
1
X
R
( 1)n R
outside
(r) = V +
P2n+1 (cos )
r
20 n=0 2n + 1 r
inside

(r) = V +

(16)
(17)

To continue the solution below the x y plane (to > /2) we notice that E must change sign across x y plane,
but it needs to be of equal strength above and below the plane. Lets check the first few terms in inside close to the
x y plane:
inside

V +

z
20 R

E = ez

(5z 3
120

3zr2 )
R3

(18)

which gives
1
r2
+
+
20 R 40 R3

The electric field should change sign, and therefore should be of the form

1
r2
E = ez sign(z)
+
+
20 R 40 R3

(19)

(20)

therefore potential must also contain sign(cos ), i.e.,

1
X
( 1)n r 2n+1
(r) = V +
P2n+1 (cos )sign(cos )
20 n=0 2n + 1 R
2n+2
1
X
R
( 1)n R
outside
(r) = V +
P2n+1 (cos )sign(cos )
r
20 n=0 2n + 1 r
inside

An interesting question is why does the integral of the charge not give correct answer.We would expect
Z
1
(r0 )
(r) =
dr0
40
|r r0 |
Taking into account the expansion of
of azimuthal angle ', we conclude

1
|r r0 |

(21)
(22)

(23)

in terms of spherical harmonics, and noting that the problem is independent

Z
1 X Pl (cos )
l
(r, r > R) =
(r0 )Pl (cos 0 )r0 d3 r0
40
rl+1
l

(24)

3
)
Naively, one would expect (r, ) = rp(cos
. This charge density leads to the solution in the Jacksons book, which
R2 r 2
is wrong. The problem is that the conducting disc does not contain only one thin layer of charge, but actually two
0
(cos )sign(cos )
p
thin layers, one above and one below, which give the charge density of the form (r, ) =
, where
r R2 r 2
0
(x) is the derivative of the -function. Only this form leads to the correct solution derived above.
The wrong solution follows