University

of British Columbia | Okanagan Campus | School of Engineering

APSC 178 Electricity, Magnetism, and Waves

Assignment 2

1. An electric line charge is situated in the x-y plane. It runs along the x-axis from -L/2 to +L/2 with a
positive charge per unit length of λ. You would like to know the electric field on the y-axis at a
height of h above the electric line charge, i.e., at a field point of (0, h).

a) Sketch the problem on x-y coordinate axes. Label the field point. Label the differential charge dQ
= λdx at an arbitrary spot along the electric line charge. Draw the differential electric field vector
𝑑𝐸 at the field point in your sketch, and show its x-component of dEx and y-component of dEy.

b) Now consider symmetry. When you sum the contributions from all of the differential charges
along the electric line charge, i.e., when you carry out integration to find the electric field, 𝐸, will
either of the x or y-components become zero?

c) Use your sketch and symmetry considerations above to solve for the electric field 𝐸 at the field
point (0, h). State your answer in terms of λ, h, and L. You can make use of the integral formula

2 2 −3 / 2 x
∫ (x + a ) dx =
2
(updated).
a x 2 + a2

d) The total charge along the electric line charge is Q = λL, which means that the charge per unit
length is λ = Q/L. Substitute this expression for λ into your electric field expression from (c).
What does this electric field expression become for the limiting case in which the field point is
far from the electric line charge, i.e., h >> L? Why does this make sense?

2. A charged half-ring, as discussed in section 1.5 of Module 1.5, is situated in the positive y half of the
x-y plane while being centred about the origin. It has a radius of a and a positive charge per unit
length of λ. You would like to know the electric field at the origin, i.e., at (0, 0).

a) Sketch the problem on x-y coordinate axes. Label the field point and a differential charge dQ at
an arbitrary location on the charged half-ring. Draw the differential electric field vector 𝑑𝐸 at
the field point in your sketch, and show its x-component of dEx and y-component of dEy.

b) Now consider symmetry. When you sum the contributions from all of the differential charges
along the charged half-ring, i.e., when you carry out integration to find the electric field, 𝐸, will
either of the x or y-components become zero?

c) Use your sketch and symmetry conditions above to solve for the electric field 𝐸 at the origin.
Express your answer in terms of λ and a.

3. Consider the electric field of a point charge Q = 1 nC located at the origin. A dipole is placed at the
position (1 m, 1 m), and it has a dipole moment of 𝑝 = 1 𝑦 Cm.

a) Find the potential energy of the dipole.

b) In what direction will the dipole tend to rotate?

4. Consider the six cubes below. The black dots represent positive point charges. The white dots
represent negative point charges. All point charges have the same magnitude charge. For each cube,
state whether the magnitude of the electric flux through the left face is smaller than, equal to, or
greater than the magnitude of the electric flux through the right face. You do not need to perform
integration to solve this problem!

a) b) c) d) e) f)

5. A hemisphere of radius 𝑎 makes an angle 𝜃 with a

uniform electric field 𝐸* (see diagram at right).
What is the magnitude of the electric flux through
the curved surface?

There is an easy way to solve this problem and a
hard way to solve this problem. Start by thinking θ
about what the total electric flux through all
surfaces would be.