Problem 3.

Two concentric spheres have radii a; b (b > a) and each is divided into two hemispheres
by the same horizontal plane. The upper hemisphere of the inner sphere and the lower
hemisphere of the outer sphere are maintained at potential V . The other hemispheres are
at zero potential.
Determine the potential in the region a  r  b as a series in Legendre polynomials. Include
terms at least up to l = 4. Check your solution against known results in the limiting cases
b ! 1 and a ! 0.
Solution to Laplace's equation with azimuthal symmetry:
1
X

(r; ) = Al rl + Bl r l Pl (cos ) 1

l=0

Consider: r = a
Al al + Bl a l 1

2 =V Z 1

Pl (cos )d(cos )
2l + 1 | 0
{z }
Nl
= V Nl
Consider: r = b
Al bl + Bl b l 1

2 =V Z 0

P (cos )d(cos )
2l + 1 1
1

Z 0

=V Pl ( cos )d( cos )

1
Z 1

=V Pl ( cos )d(cos )
0
Z 1

=V ( l)l Pl ( cos )d(cos )

0

= V ( 1)l Nl
 l    
a a (l+1) Al
bl b l ( +1)
Bl
= 2l 2+ 1 V Nl ( 11)l

1
  
Al
Solve for Bl
:
     
= 2l 2+ 1 V Nl abl ab l 1
Al l l ( +1)
1

Bl ( +1)
( 1)l
  
= 2l 2+ 1 al b l V Nbl l a b l a l 1
( +1) ( +1)

( +1) l
( +1)
bl al ( 1)l
 
= 2l 2+ 1 al b b l + ( 1)l a
V Nl ( +1) +1 l
( +1)

l
( +1)
bl a l ( +1)
bl + ( 1)l al

1 
X
l

(r; ) = b l ( +1)
+ ( 1)l +1
a l ( +1)
r + bl + ( 1)l al r l
( +1)

l=0

 2l 2+ 1 al b l
( +1)
V
bl a l ( +1)
Nl Pl (cos )

R1
We saw in class that that Nl =
Pl (x)dx = 0 for even even l (except for l = 0, where it is
1 0

1). For odd l, N l = l 2 l l :

l
( 1) 2
2 1
(2 1)2 l 1

1 
X


(r; ) = V2 + b l+a l r l
2 2 2 1
+ bl 2 1
al
2
r l
1 2

l=1
 
 4l 2+ 3 a l b 2 1 2
V
l bl a l (2l
2
1
1)2 l 2
l
2l
1 Pl 2 1 (cos )
The terms up to l = 4 (i.e., l = 0; 1; 3) are:
 
V 

7 V 1 2 P (cos )
(r; ) = 2 + b 2
+a 2
r+ b
2
a r 2

2 ab 2
ba 4 0 2
1

 


 11 V 1 4 P (cos )
b 4
+a 4
r 3
+ b 3
a 3
r 4

2ab 3 4
b a 48 1
2 4
3



7
(r; ) = V2 + b 2
+a 2
r+ b 2
a r 2

8 ab 2
V
ba 2
cos()


 11 V

b 4
+a 4
r 3
+ b 3
a 3
r 4

48 a b 3 4
ba2 4
5 cos 3
 3 cos 
For the limit as b ! 1:
1  
lim (r; ) = 2 V X
r 2 l 4l + 3 V 2l Pl (cos )
b!1
l=1
2 (2l 1)2 l 2
l 1 2 1

2
For the limit as a ! 0:
1  
lim (r; ) = 2 V X
r l
2 1
4l + 3 V 2l Pl (cos )
a!1
l=1
2 (2l 1)2 l 2
l 1 2 1

1 Problem 3.3

A thin, at, conducting, circular disc of radius R is located in the x-y plane with its center
at the origin, and is maintained at a xed potential V . With the information that the charge
density on a disc at xed potential is proportional to (R  ) = , where  is the distance2 2 1 2

from the center of the disc:

1.1 Show that for r > R the potential is:

1  2l
2 V R X ( 1)l
(r; ; ') =  r R
P l (cos )
l
2l + 1 =0
r
2

We know we can start with: Z

(~r0 )
(~r) = 4" j~r ~r0j (1)
0

We know that: 1
1 =X l
r<
~r ~r0 l Pl (cos  )
l=0 r> +1

Because we're outside, r > r0. Using this fact and plugging the above equation into equation
(1): Z 0 X1 0l
(~r) = 4("~r ) rrl Pl (cos ) +1
(2)
0
l=0
We also know that:
 (r)
(r) =  (cos )
r
 (r ) = p 
R 2
r 2

We just need to know . Since  = V on the disc, (r = 0) = V . Hence:

Z 0
(r = 0) = V = 4"(~r )r0 d r0 3

= 4
" 0

=)  = 4V " 
0

3
Plugging  into  and plugging that into :
(r) = p
4V " 0
 (cos )
r R 2
r 2

Plugging this into equation (2):

Z   1 0l
p4V " 1 X r
(~r) = 0
 (cos )
4" Pl (cos )
r0 R 2
r02
0
l=0
rl +1

Z 2 Z Z R 1
X 0l
V
pr
1

d'0 0 0
1

= d(cos ) (cos ) r dr2

Pl (cos )
2
0 1 0
l=0 rl +1
R 2
r02

1 Z R
X r0l
= V 2 p dr0 cos( )
+1

r l( +1)

2
l=0 0 R 2
r02

For simplicity, let's pick =  . This will force ~r to always lie along the z -axis, which will
2

give us an expression for (~z). Using the fact that Pl (cos ) = Pl (0) = n
, where
n
( 1) (2 1)!!

n 2n

l = 2n:
!

1 Z
2 V X l ( 1)n (2n 1)!! R r0l
p 0
+1

(~z) =  r
2nn!
( +1)

0 dr
l=0 0 R 2
r 2

We know that the general solution for azimuthal symmetry is:

1
X

(~r) = Al rl + Bl r l ( +1)
Pl (cos ) (3)
l=0

The general solution must agree with equation (1.1) along the z axis. To do this, we set
 = 0 (and Pl (cos(0)) = Pl (1) = 1):
1
X

(~r) = Al rl + Bl r l ( +1)
(4)
l=0

Equating equations (1.1) and (4) we nd that:

=0 Al
Z
2 V ( 1)n (2n 1)!! R r0l
p dr0
+1

Bl =
 2nn! R 0
2
r 0 2

Plugging this into equation (3):

1  
(~r) = 2V
X ( 1)n(2n 1)!! Z R p r0l +1

dr0 r l
( +1)
Pl (cos )
l=0
2nn! R 0
2
r 0 2

4
 RR
Using an integral table, we nd that p 2r0 +102 0l
=R n 2 +1 n!2n
n+1)!! where l = 2n:
0 R r dr (2

1
(~r) = 2V ( 1)n(2n 1)!! P (cos )
X
r l ( +1)
Rn 2 +1

l=0
(2n + 1)!! l
1
= 2V X r l ( +1)
Rn 2 +1
( 1)n P (cos )
 l =0
(2n + 1) l
Finally, converting all the indices to n using the relation l = 2n:
1
(~r) = 2 V X
r n Rn
( 1)n P (cos )
(2 +1) 2 +1
(5)
n =0
(2n + 1) n 2

1  n
(~r) = 2 V X R ( 1)n P (cos )
2 +1

n
r =0
(2n + 1) n 2

1  n
(~r) = 2 V X R R ( 1)n
2

P n (cos )
r r (2n + 1)
2

n =0

1  2n
2 V RX
(~r) =  r R ( 1)n P (cos )
n=0
r (2n + 1) n 2

1.2 Find the potential for r<R

At the boundary, (~r) for r > R and r < R must be equal. Hence:
Al Rl = Bl R l ( +1)

A nR n = B nR n
2
2
2
(2 +1)

Plugging in B n (the r n coecient from equation (5)):

2
(2 +1)

A nR =n

2
2 V n  ( 1)n

R

Rn
 
2 +1 (2 +1)
2
 (2n + 1)
An=
2V ( 1) R n
n
2

 (2n + 1)
2

Plugging this into equation (3) (the general solution for azimuthal symmetry):
1  
(~r) =
X 2 V ( 1)n
R n r n P n cos() 2 2

l =0
 (2 n + 1) 2

1
(~r) = 2V ( 1)n  r  n P cos()
X 2

l=0
(2n + 1) R n 2

5
1.3 Find the capacitance of the disk

In part 1, we found that:

V = 4
" 0


 (r) = p
R 2
r 2

Z 2 Z R

Q= p rdr
'=0 r=0 R 2
r 2

h p iR
= 2 R 2
r 2

= 2R
The capacitance is:
C = VQ
= 2R

4"0
= 8R" 0