Columbia University

Department of Physics
QUALIFYING EXAMINATION

Monday, January 11, 2016

3:10PM to 5:10PM
Classical Physics
Section 2. Electricity, Magnetism & Electrodynamics

Two hours are permitted for the completion of this section of the examination. Choose 4 problems
out of the 5 included in this section. (You will not earn extra credit by doing an additional problem).
Apportion your time carefully.

Use separate answer booklet(s) for each question. Clearly mark on the answer booklet(s) which
question you are answering (e.g., Section 2 (Electricity etc.), Question 2, etc.).

Do NOT write your name on your answer booklets. Instead, clearly indicate your Exam Letter
Code.

You may refer to the single handwritten note sheet on 8 12 ” × 11” paper (double-sided) you have
prepared on Classical Physics. The note sheet cannot leave the exam room once the exam has
begun. This note sheet must be handed in at the end of today’s exam. Please include your Exam
Letter Code on your note sheet. No other extraneous papers or books are permitted.

Simple calculators are permitted. However, the use of calculators for storing and/or recovering
formulae or constants is NOT permitted.

Questions should be directed to the proctor.

Good Luck!

Section 2 Page 1 of 6
 1. A current I flows down a long straight wire of radius a. Assume the wire is made of linear
material with magnetic susceptibility χm , and the current is distributed uniformly across the
cross section of the wire.
(a) Calculate the magnetic field a distance s from the axis. Consider separately the regions
both inside the wire (s < a) and outside (s > a).
(b) Calculate all of the bound currents in the problem. What is the net bound current flowing
down the wire?

Section 2 Page 2 of 6
 2. An infinitely long 2-D slot has a width a. The walls are conductors held at fixed potentials
φ = 0 and φ = V, as shown.
(a) Determine the electric potential at an arbitrary location (x, y) inside the slot.
(b) A positron is released from rest at the coordinates (x,y) = (a, a/2). Find an expression for
the force on the positron. Where will it be located at time t → ∞?

Section 2 Page 3 of 6
 3. A thin, circular conducting ring of radius a lies fixed in the x − y plane centered on the z axis.
It is driven by a power supply such that it carries a constant current I. Another thin conducting
ring of radius b, with b << a, and resistance R is centered on and is normal to the z axis.
This second ring is moved along the z axis at constant velocity v such that it’s center is located
at z = vt. Estimate, using what ever approximations you consider appropriate, the following
quantities including the full time dependence.
(a) The current in the moving ring.
(b) The force required to keep the ring moving at constant velocity.

Section 2 Page 4 of 6
 4. A long cylindrical solenoid of radius R and length L  R is tightly wound with a single layer
of wire (see below). The number of turns per unit length is N/L. The wire breaks when the
tension in the wire is greater than T . Find the maximum current that can be carried by the
wire.

Section 2 Page 5 of 6
 5. The general expressions for the scalar and vector potentials are

ρ(~r0 , tr )d3 r0 µ0 J(~r0 , tr )d3 r0

Z Z
1 ~
V(~r, t) = , A(~
r , t) = , (1)
4π0 |~r − ~r0 | 4π |~r − ~r0 |
where tr is the retarded time.

A long (effectively infinite) neutral wire on the z-axis has zero current for t < 0. At t = 0 a
steady current I0 is suddenly turned on in the +ẑ direction (see Figure).
(a) Consider a point at a distance s from the wire (z = 0). At what time do the electric and/or
magnetic fields first become non-zero at this point? Hereafter call this time t s (‘s’ for
when the field starts at position s).
(b) What is the value of the scalar potential V at position s at time t > t s ?
~ at position s at time t > t s ?
(c) What is the direction of the vector potential A
(d) What is the direction of the electric field E~ at position s at time t > t s ?
(e) What is the direction of the magnetic field B ~ at position s at time t > t s ?
(f) Write an integral expression for the magnitude of the vector potential A(s, t) at times
t > ts.

Section 2 Page 6 of 6
 Section 2-1
Brooijmans

UNI Here:

1. Current Carrying Wire: Brooijmans

A current I flows down a long straight wire of radius a. Assume the wire is made
of linear material with magnetic susceptibility χm , and the current is distributed uni-
formly across the cross section of the wire.

a) Calculate the magnetic field a distance s from the axis. Consider separately the
regions both inside the wire (s < a) and outside (s > a).
b) Calculate all of the bound currents in the problem. What is the net bound current
flowing down the wire?

Solution
a) Ampere’s Law gives, for s < a

− →
→ − s2
I
H . dl = H2πs = If,enc = I 2 , (1)
a
and, for s > a,
− →
→ −
I
H . dl = H2πs = If,enc = I. (2)

So for s < a, where µ = µ0 (1 + χm ),

→
− Is →
− µ0 (1 + χm )Is
H = φ̂ and B = µH = φ̂, (3)
2πa2 2πa2
and for s > a, where µ = µ0 ,
→
− I →
− µ0 I
H = φ̂ and B = µH = φ̂. (4)
2πs 2πs

b) The volumetric bound current is given by,

→
− →
− χm I
Jb = χm Jf = ẑ, (5)
πa2
The bound surface current is given by
−
→ − → →
− χm I
Kb = M × n̂ = χm H × n̂ = (−ẑ) (6)
2πa
Therefore the total bound current down the wire (volumetric + surface) is given by
→
− →
− −
→
Ib = Jb πa2 + Kb 2πa = 0. (7)

2
 Section 2-2
Humensky

UNI Here:

2. Conducing Walls: Humensky

An infinitely long 2-D slot has a width a. The walls are conductors held at fixed
potentials φ = 0 and φ = V , as shown.
a) Determine the electric potential at an arbitrary location (x, y) inside the slot.
b) A positron is released from rest at the coordinates (x,y) = (a, a/2). Find an
expression for the force on the positron. Where will it be located at time t → ∞?

Solution.
(a) Solve Laplace equation inside the slot,

∇2 φ = 0, (8)

with boundary conditions φ(x, y = 0) = φ(x, y = a) = 0, φ(0, y) = V , and lim φ = 0.

x→∞
Using separation of variables φ(x, y) = X(x)Y (y), ∇2 φ = 0 becomes

d2 X/dx2 dY 2 /dy 2 d2 X/dx2 d2 Y /dy 2

+ =0⇒ = K, = −K, (9)
X Y X Y

3
 Section 2-2
Humensky

UNI Here:

where K is a constant. Choose K = k 2 positive to match periodic boundary conditions

in y, where k is another positive constant. The solutions then become
X = e±kx , Y = sin(ky), cos(ky) (10)
The boundary condition φ(x, y = 0) = φ(x, y = a) = 0 demands we pick
Yn = sin(kn y), (11)
where kn = nπ/a, n = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... is required to match the boundary conditions. The
boundary condition lim φ = 0 requires we discard the exponentially growing solution
x→∞
+kn x
Xn = e , such that the general solution becomes
X
φ(x, y) = An e−nπx/a sin(πny/a). (12)
n

The constants An are fixed by the φ(0, y) = V boundary condition:

X
φ(0, y) = V = An sin(nπy/a) (13)
n

Multiplying by the orthogonal function sin(mπy/a) and integrating over y gives

2 a
Z
2V 4V
An = V sin(nπy/a)dy = − cos(nπy/a)|a0 = if n odd, = 0 if n even (14)
a 0 nπ πn
Thus,
4V X 1 −nπx/a
φ(x, y) = e sin(nπy/a) (15)
π odd n n
(b) The force on the positron is given by
F~ = eE~ = −e∇φ (16)
∂φ 4V e X −nπx/a
Fx = −e = e sin(nπy/a) (17)
∂x a odd n
∂φ −4V e X −nπx/a
Fy = −e = e cos(nπy/a) (18)
∂y a odd n
At (x,y) = (a,a/2) we have
4V e X −nπ
Fx = e sin(nπ/2) (19)
a odd n
−4V e X −nπ
Fy = e cos(nπ/2) = 0 (20)
a odd n
At large x the n = 1 will dominate the sum in Fx , such that
4V d −π
F~ ⇒ e x̂ (21)
a
and hence as t → ∞ the positron x coordinate will move to +∞.

4
 Section 2-3
Cole

UNI Here:

3. Conducting Ring: Cole

A thin, circular conducting ring of radius a lies fixed in the x − y plane centered on the
z axis. It is driven by a power supply such that it carries a constant current I. Another
thin conducting ring of radius b, with b << a, and resistance R is centered on and is
normal to the z axis. This second ring is moved along the z axis at constant velocity
v such that it’s center is located at z = vt. Estimate, using what ever approximations
you consider appropriate, the following quantities including the full time dependence.

(a) The current in the moving ring.

(b) The force required to keep the ring moving at constant velocity.

Solution. a) Near the z axis the magnetic field points primarily in the z direction
though it has a small radial component which gives zero contribution to the magnetic
flux through the moving ring. The z component of the field varies slowly with r near
the z axis, so we can approximate the magnetic flux through the moving loop as

Φm = πb2 B(r = 0, z) (22)

A straight-forward application of the Biot-Savart law gives the magnetic field on the
z axis a distance z from the fixed ring (SI units)

µ 0 a2 I
Bz (r = 0, z) = (23)
2 (z 2 + a2 )3/2

The EMF resulting from the motion of the second ring is given by

dΦm dΦm 3µ0 πb2 a2 Ivz

= =v =− (24)
dt dz 2 (z 2 + a2 )5/2

5
 Section 2-3
Cole

UNI Here:

The induced current is then (substituting z = vt)

 3µ0 πb2 a2 Iv 2 t
i= =− (25)
R 2R (v 2 t2 + a2 )5/2

b) The z component of the magnetic field produces a radially-directed force on the

current moving in the ring. However, the small radial component of the magnetic field
produces a force in the z direction that must be counteracted in order to keep the ring
moving at constant velocity. The radial component can be evaluated in many different
ways. Here, we ”boost strap” it using ∇ · B~ = 0 and a taylor expansion of the x and
y components of B ~ in the x-y plane:

~ x (x, 0, z) ≈ x ∂Bx |0,0,z

B (26)
∂x

~ y (0, y, z) ≈ y ∂By |0,0,z

B (27)
∂y
Symmetry requires that
∂Bx ∂By
|0,0,z = |0,0,z , (28)
∂x ∂y
~ = 0 at (0,0,0) results in
such that applying ∇ · B

∂Bx 1 ∂Bz 3µ0 a2 Iz

|0,0,z = − |0,0,z = (29)
∂x 2 ∂z 4(z 2 + a2 )5/2

Inserting this result into the Taylor expansion and nothing that cylindrical symmetry
allows us to gernalize x → r, we conclude

~ r (r, z) ≈ 3µ0 a2 Izr

B (30)
4(z 2 + a2 )5/2

The radial field produces a total force −2πbiBr (b, z)k̂. Thus, a force F~ = 2πbiBr (b, z)k̂
has to be applied to keep the ring moving at constant velocity. Putting everything
together,
9 µ20 π 2 a4 b4 I 2 v 3 t2
F = (31)
4 R(v 2 t2 + a2 )5

6
 Section 2-4
Metzger

UNI Here:

4. Solenoid: Metzger A long cylindrical solenoid of radius R and length L  R is

tightly wound with a single layer of wire (see below). The number of turns per unit
length is N/L. The wire breaks when the tension in the wire is greater than T . Find
the maximum current that can be carried by the wire.

Solution
The magnetic field in the solenoid is given by

B = µ0 (N/L)I (32)

From the Maxwell stress tensor, the transverse pressure (radial force per area) on the
coil is B 2 /2µ0 (the other components of the stress vanish by symmetry).
The net force on the top half of the wire is therefore given by
Z π
B2 B2 B2
Fy = L Rdθ sin θ = LR [− cos θ]π0 = LR (33)
0 2µ0 2µ0 µ0
The tension in each wire is thus given by
2
LR B 2 µ0 N RI 2

Fy LR µ0 N I
T = = = = , (34)
2N 2N µ0 2N µ0 L 2L

where the factor of two in the denominator results because the force per turn is shared
between the two sides of the wire. The maximum current is thus given by
 1/2
2LT
Imax = (35)
µ0 N R

7
 Section 2-5
Metzger

UNI Here:

5. Retarded Potentials: Metzger

The general expressions for the scalar and vector potentials are
ρ(~r0 , tr )d3 r0 J(~r0 , tr )d3 r0
Z Z
1 ~ r, t) = µ 0
V (~r, t) = , A(~ , (36)
4π0 |~r − ~r0 | 4π |~r − ~r0 |
where tr is the retarded time.

A long (effectively infinite) neutral wire on the z-axis has zero current for t < 0. At
t = 0 a steady current I0 is suddenly turned on in the +ẑ direction (see Figure).
(a) Consider a point at a distance s from the wire (z = 0). At what time do the
electric and/or magnetic fields first become non-zero at this point? Hereafter call this
time ts (‘s’ for when the field starts at position s).
(b) What is the value of the scalar potential V at position s at time t > ts ?
~ at position s at time t > ts ?
(c) What is the direction of the vector potential A
~ at position s at time t > ts ?
(d) What is the direction of the electric field E
(e) What is the direction of the magnetic field B ~ at position s at time t > ts ?
(f) Write an integral expression for the magnitude of the vector potential A(s, t)
at times t > ts .
Solution.
(a) retarded time ⇒ ’signal’ that current has turned reaches distance s on the light
travel time ts = s/c
(b) V = 0 because the wire is neutral ⇒ ρ = 0 ⇒ V = 0
~ points in the ẑ direction, the same direction as J.
(c) A ~
(d)
~ ~
E~ = −∇V − ∂ A = − ∂ A (37)
∂t V =0 ∂t

8
 Section 2-5
Metzger

UNI Here:

~ is in the ẑ direction and increasing, E

since A ~ = −∂ A/∂t
~ is in the -ẑ direction.
~ = ∇×A
(e) B ~ points out of the page. One way to see this is to note that the Poynting
Vector ~s = 1 E~ ×B~ must point away from the wire since EM energy is flowing outwards
µ0
to fill space.
(f) At times t > ts , the magnitude of the vector potential can be written in this form:
Z √ 2 2
µ0 + (ct) −s I
A(s, t) = √ √ 0 dz (38)
4π − (ct)2 −s2 s + z2
2

The limits of integration represent the part of the wire in causal contact with s,
p
z 2 + s2 = (ct)2 ⇒ z = ± (ct)2 − s2 (39)