PHYS 0175

Name: Week 4 January 27, 2020

Question 1
1. In the following diagrams, you are given a uniform charge distribution, and an ob-
servation point P . For each diagram, find a second observation point S such that S
experiences the same magnitude of electric field as P . Then, draw all the points (in
the 2D-plane) that experience the same magnitude electric field.

(a) A point charge: P

P
q

(e) An infinite cylinder, inside (side view):

(b) A spherical shell, within the shell:

P P

(c) A spherical shell, outside:

(f) An infinite cylinder, outside (side

view):

P P

(d) An infinite line charge (side view):

1
 PHYS 0175
Name: Week 4 January 27, 2020

2. Consider the infinite cylinder again. Suppose it is no longer uniformly chaged, but
instead has a charge distribution that varies with the radius:
r
ρ = ρ0
R
where ρ0 is a constant with units of C/m3 , r is the radius at which the charge density
is measured, and R is the radius of the cylinder.

(a) Are the answers you drew for parts (e) and (f) still valid?
Yes, since the dashed lines are at a fixed radius, the charge density doesn’t vary
along the lines.
(b) If we only consider points inside the cylinder, what is the Gaussian surface? (Draw
or explain)
The Gaussian surface is itself a cylinder, at a radius less than the radius of the
cylindrical charge distribution.
(c) At the radius of the Gaussian surface rG < R, how much charge is enclosed by
the Gaussian surface?

Z rG
2πρ0 L  3
rG − 03

qenc = ρ (2πrL) dr qenc =
Z rG
0 3R
qenc = ρdV 2πρ0 L rG 2
Z
0 qenc = r dr
R 0
 r
rG 2πρ0 L r3 G 3
2πrG L
Z
qenc = ρAdr qenc = qenc = ρ0
0 R 3 0 3R

(d) Write out Gauss’s law, and use it to find the magnitude of the electric field at rG .

2
3
ρ 0 rG
2πrG L E=
EAG = ρ0 R 30
Z 3R
~ = qenc
3
~ · dA 2πrG L
E E (2πrG L) = ρ0
0 3R

1. Where is your answer to part (d) valid?

We calculated the enclosed charge assuming that the Gaussian surface was within the
charge distribution. Outisde the distribution, the Gaussian surface encloses the entire
charge, which would give us a different answer. Thus, part (d) holds true for any radius
rG < R.