Advanced topic:

Method of Images
Example 1:
A point charge lies a distance 𝑑 above a infinite, conducting, grounded plane. Calculate
Introduction
the potential 𝑉 everywhere to the method of images
above the plane.
• We know the boundary conditions at the plane. 𝑉! = 0, 𝐸" = 𝐸# = 0 (i.e 𝐸 ⊥ to the
conducting
A pointplane)
charge lies a distance d above
• But there is charged
a infinite, induced on
conducting, the grounded plane. The electrostatic potential can
grounded
not be calculated
plane. directly
Calculate without
the knowing
potential V the induced charge distribution.
everywhere above the plane. z
This looks like a Laplace-equation
problem, and we know some
q
boundary conditions at the plane:
V 0, Ex Ey 0.
d
But there’s charge induced on the
grounded plane.The electrostatic
potential can not be calculated
directly without knowing the
induced charge distribution.
Consider alternatively the situation of two point charges 𝑞 and −𝑞, separated by 2𝑑.
The potential can be calculated directly and is equal to
Introduction
𝑉 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 =
𝑞 to the
1 method of images
−
1 (continued)
4𝜋𝜖! 𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + 𝑧 − 𝑑 $ 𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + 𝑧 + 𝑑 $
Consider alternatively the situation
Note that of two point charges q and –q,
separated by 2d. z
• 𝑉 𝑥, 𝑦, 0 = 0 on the x-y plane.
The potential can be calculated
directly and is equal to
As it would need to be for the grounded plane. q
q
V s, , z d
2
s2 z d
q
2 2 d
s z d
-q
2
Note that V 4 is
automatically satisfied. This also
gives V = 0 on the plane z = 0, just
as it would need to be for the
grounded plane.
The potenDal yields the electric fields, as usual,
𝜕𝑉 𝜕𝑉 𝜕𝑉
𝐸(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = −∇𝑉 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = −𝚤̂ − 𝚥̂ :
−𝑘
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
𝑞 𝑥 𝚤̂ + 𝑦𝚥̂ + 𝑧 − 𝑑 𝑘: 𝑥 𝚤̂ + 𝑦𝚥̂ + 𝑧 + 𝑑 𝑘:
= % − %
4𝜋𝜖!
𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + 𝑧−𝑑 $ $ 𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + 𝑧−𝑑 $ $

Note that
𝑞 𝑥 𝚤̂ + 𝑦𝚥̂ − 𝑑 𝑘: 𝑥 𝚤̂ + 𝑦𝚥̂ + 𝑑 𝑘: −2𝑑𝑞 𝑘:
𝐸 𝑥, 𝑦, 0 = % − % = %
4𝜋𝜖!
𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + $
𝑑 $ 𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + $
𝑑 $ 4𝜋𝜖! 𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + $
𝑑 $

i.e. 𝐸 ⊥ x-y plane and 𝐸" 𝑥, 𝑦, 0 = 𝐸# 𝑥, 𝑦, 0 = 0.

 Thus, for 𝑧 ≥ 0, the two-charge electric field and potential satisfy the boundary
to theconditions
methodforoftheimages
single charge-grounded plane problem. It is the unique solution to
Introduction
this problem.
to the method of images (continued)
d above
ded Consider alternatively the situation
V of two point charges q and –q,
separated
z by 2d. z
equation The potential can be calculated
ome directly and is equal to
q q
he plane:
q
V sd, , z d

=
ed on the s2 z d
2
trostatic
ulated q
g the 2 2 d
ion. s z d
-q
Note that 2V 4 is
automatically satisfied. This also
gives V = 0 on the plane z = 0, just
Physics 217, Fall 2002 as it would need to be for
3 the

grounded plane.
9 October 2002 Physics 217, Fall 2002 4
Go back to the original problem, we have
𝑞Introduction to𝑘: the method
𝑥 𝚤̂ + 𝑦 𝚥 ̂ + 𝑧 − 𝑑 of𝑑 images
𝑥 𝚤̂ + 𝑦 𝚥 ̂ + 𝑧 + 𝑘:
𝐸 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = %− % for 𝑧 > 0
4𝜋𝜖!
𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + 𝑧 − 𝑑 $ $ 𝑥$ + 𝑦$ + 𝑧 − 𝑑 $ $
A point charge lies a distance d above
a infinite, conducting, grounded
𝐸 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 0 for 𝑧 < 0
plane. Calculate the potential V
everywhere above the plane. z
This looks like a Laplace-equation
problem, and we know some
q
boundary conditions at the plane:
V 0, Ex Ey 0.
d
But there’s charge induced on the
grounded plane.The electrostatic
potential can not be calculated
directly without knowing the
induced charge distribution.
Moreover, we can also calculate the induced charged on the conducting plane.
Recall from the Gauss’s law, we know that the induced surface charge on the conductor
satisfies
𝜎
𝐸& =
𝜖!

The induced surface density on the conducting plane becomes

(
−𝑑𝑞
⇒ 𝜎 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝜖! 𝐸' 𝑥, 𝑦, 0 = %
2𝜋𝜖! 𝑥 $ + 𝑦 $ + 𝑑 $ $

which is negative.
int charge and a grounded sphere
2 +Example
Problem
2:
3.7 in Griffiths)
A point charge 𝑞 is situated a distance 𝑍 from the center of a grounded conducting sphere
tuated a
of radius 𝑅.
enter of
• Find the electric field and potential everywhere
• Find the induced surface charge on the sphere, as function of 𝜃. Integrate this to get
ng the total induced charge.
• Calculate the potential energy of the system.

surface R q
V=0
ere, as
Z
egrate
l
 Potential for a point charge and a grounded sphere
We need to find a position to put the image charge 𝑞′ such
(continued)
that the boundary conditions on the sphere are satisfied.
We need to find a position to put
charge where
Start by determining q’ suchthis
that the boundary
image charge should lie, using
conditions
the points along the z-axis.on the sphere are satisfied. R q
Start by determining𝑞 where
𝑞 * this
𝑉) = 0 = lie, using
+ the points V=0
charge should
𝑍 − 𝑅 𝑅 − 𝑧* Z
along the* z axis: 𝑞
⇒𝑞 =− (𝑅 − 𝑧 * )
𝑍 q− 𝑅 q
VP 0
Z R R z*
𝑞q 𝑞
𝑉+ = q0 = +R z Q
𝑍Z+ 𝑅 𝑅 + 𝑧
𝑞 R d
⇒ 𝑞 = − q (𝑅 q+ 𝑧 * )
*
R d' q
VQ 0 𝑍 + 𝑅
Z R R z V=0 z' q'
q Z
q R z
Z R P

9 October 2002 Physics 217, Fall 2002 10

So
𝑞 𝑞
𝑅 − 𝑧! = 𝑅 + 𝑧 ! ⇒ 𝑍 + 𝑅 𝑅 − 𝑧 ! = (𝑍 − 𝑅)(𝑅 + 𝑧 ! )
𝑍−𝑅 𝑍+𝑅
Rearrange
𝑧 ! 𝑍 − 𝑅 + 𝑧 ! 𝑍 + 𝑅 = 2𝑍𝑧 ! = 𝑅 𝑍 + 𝑅 − 𝑅 𝑍 − 𝑅 = 2𝑅"
!
𝑅" !
𝑞 !
𝑞 𝑅" 𝑞𝑅
⇒𝑧 = and 𝑞 = − 𝑅+𝑧 =− 𝑅+ =−
𝑍 𝑍+𝑅 𝑍+𝑅 𝑍 𝑍

Now consider an arbitrary point on the sphere 𝑃’:

𝑑 = 𝑅" + 𝑍 " − 2𝑅𝑍 cos 𝜃

𝑑 ! Potential
" !" for! a point charge
"
𝑅# and
𝑅" a grounded sphere
= 𝑅 + 𝑧 − 2𝑅𝑧 cos 𝜃 = 𝑅 + " − 2𝑅 cos 𝜃
𝑍
(continued)𝑍
q q Q
So R z R z P’
Z R Z R d
Z R R z Z R R z R d' q
θ
Rearrange: V=0 z' q'
Z
z Z R z Z R 2Zz
P
R Z R R Z R 2 R2
R2 q q R2 R
z , q R z R q
Z Z R Z R Z Z
The potenDal should come out to be zero there, and sure enough,
𝑞𝑅
𝑞 𝑞 * 𝑞 −
*
4𝜋𝜖! 𝑉) = + = + 𝑍
𝑑 𝑑′ 𝑅 $ + 𝑍 $ − 2𝑅𝑍 cos 𝜃 𝑅, 𝑅$
$
𝑅 + $ − 2𝑅 cos 𝜃
𝑍 𝑍
𝑞 𝑞
= − =0
$ $
𝑅 + 𝑍 − 2𝑅𝑍 cos 𝜃 $ $
𝑅 + 𝑍 − 2𝑅𝑍 cos 𝜃

Thus the potenDal outside the grounded sphere is given by the superposiDon of the
potenDal of the charge 𝑞 and the image charge 𝑞 * .
So the potential at some point (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜙) outside the sphere is given by
𝑞𝑅
1 𝑞 − 𝑍
𝑉 𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜙 = +
4𝜋𝜖$ 𝑟 " + 𝑍 " − 2𝑟𝑍 cos 𝜃 𝑅# 𝑟𝑅"
"
𝑟 + " − 2 𝑍 cos 𝜃
𝑍
𝑞 1 1
= −
4𝜋𝜖$ 𝑟 " + 𝑍 " − 2𝑟𝑍 cos 𝜃 𝑟𝑍 "
+ 𝑅 " − 2𝑟𝑍 cos 𝜃
𝑅
Now for the induced charge density,
𝜕𝑉
𝜎 = 𝜖$ 𝐸% 𝑅, 𝜃, 𝜙 = −𝜖$ @
𝜕𝑟 %&'
After some algebra, we get
×
𝑟
𝑞 𝑍 $ − 𝑅$
𝜎 𝜃 =− 𝜃 𝑞
4𝜋𝑅 𝑅 $ + 𝑍 $ − 2𝑅𝑍 cos 𝜃 %/$
𝑞′
𝑧′

𝑍
Total charge induced on the surface of the conducting sphere is given by the surface integral:
𝑑𝐴 = 𝑅" sin 𝜃 𝑑𝜃𝑑𝜙
+ "+ +
𝑄()* = D𝜎𝑑𝐴 = D 𝑑𝜃 D 𝑑𝜙 𝑅" sin 𝜃 𝜎 𝜃, 𝜙 = 2𝜋𝑅" D 𝜎 𝜃 sin 𝜃 𝑑𝜃
$ $ $
+
𝑞 sin 𝜃
𝑄()* = − 𝑅 (𝑍 " − 𝑅" ) D 𝑑𝜃
2 $ 𝑅" + 𝑍 " − 2𝑅𝑍 cos 𝜃 ,/"
+
1
𝑞 − 𝑍𝑅 𝑅
= − 𝑅 𝑍 " − 𝑅" = −𝑞
2 𝑅" + 𝑍 " − 2𝑅𝑍 cos 𝜃 $ 𝑍
Goes to zero as 𝑍 → ∞

×
𝑟
𝜃 𝑞
𝑞′
𝑧′

𝑍
Potential energy of the system = work done by the electric force between the charge
and the image.
The force between the charges is
1 𝑞𝑞 * 𝑍𝑅𝑞 $
* =
𝐹.. * $ 𝑘: = − $ $ $ 𝑘:
4𝜋𝜖! 𝑍 − 𝑧 𝑍 −𝑅

The work done by the electric force to bring the charge 𝑞 to infinity:
0
0 0
* ⋅ 𝑑 𝑙⃗ = − R
𝑧𝑅𝑞 $ 𝑅𝑞 $ 1 𝑅𝑞 $
𝑈 𝑧 = 𝑊 = R 𝐹⃗.. 𝑑𝑧 = V =−
/ / 𝑧 $ − 𝑅$ $ 2 𝑧 $ − 𝑅$ 2 𝑍 $ − 𝑅$
/

×
𝑟
𝜃 𝑞
𝑞′
𝑧′

𝑍
Exercise 3: Multiple images
Two semi-infinite grounded conducting planes meet at right angles at the origin. In the
region between them, there is a point charge 𝑞.
• Set up the image configuration and calculate the potential in this region.
• What charges do you need and where should they be located?
• What is the force on 𝑞?
• How much work did it take to bring 𝑞 in from infinity?
𝑦

𝑎 𝑞

𝑥
𝑉=0
 Ö
→]= }= (0.12×1.989×10:8 ) = 9.1×10aÇ Éj ≈ 1.5}~ÄnÅ
há 47200
(c) By assuming thermal equilibrium, the heat absorbed by the planet (due to the radiation of
star) is equal to the heat radiated by the planet (as a blackbody)
4ãEÖa ëäÖÇ EÖa EÖ
a
ãEáa = 4ãEáa ëäáÇ → äáÇ = a äqÇ → äá = äÖ ≈ 248K = −25°ì
4ã^ 4^ 2^

Pan Pearl 2018 – Paper 1 Q4 4. L-Shaped Conductor with a Wire (8 points) L 8

A L-shaped conductor consists of two semi-infinite conductors in the xz and yz planes where
the cross section is shown in the figure. The L-shaped conductor is grounded and centered at
the origin. A line of charge, with linear charge density î runs parallel to the z-axis is located
at (^, ñ) where ñ > ^ > 0.
L xz yz L
î z a,b)
ñ>^>0

(a) Compute the electric potential ò(I, ô, ö) for I > 0 and ô > 0. [3]
I>0 ô>0 ò(I, ô, ö) [3]

(b) Compute the capacitance per unit length of a thin wire of radius õ, placed at the point
(^, ñ). Assume that the wire radius is much smaller than ^ and ñ (i.e. õ ≪ ^, ñ) so that the
solution of part (a) is approximately correct in the region exclusive of the conductors. [3]

(^, ñ) 6r . r a
b õ ≪ ^, ñ (a) [3]
6
(c) Compute the force per unit length on the wire (as a vector). [2]
6 [2]

"
line charge extends out of
the page
%
#

$
&
!

Solution:
(a) We apply image method by adding 3 image line charge in the following ways:
1. −^, ñ : Charge density – î
2. – ^, −ñ : Charge density î
3. (^, −ñ) : Charge density −î
Hence the total electric field along the x-axis (at the point (I, 0)) is
î 1 1
 the page
%
#

$
&
!

Solution:
(a) We apply image method by adding 3 image line charge in the following ways:
1. −^, ñ : Charge density – î
2. – ^, −ñ : Charge density î
3. (^, −ñ) : Charge density −î
Hence the total electric field along the x-axis (at the point (I, 0)) is
î 1 1
û= I − ^ † − ñ° − I + ^ † − ñ°
2ãü8 I − ^ a + ñ a I + ^ a + ña
1 1
+ I + ^ † + ñ° − I − a † + ñ°
I + ^ a + ña I − ^ a + ña
î 2ñ 2ñ
= − a a
+ °
2ãü8 I−^ +ñ I + ^ a + ña
which is along the y-direction and hence the electric potential which is constant along the x-
axis.
Similarly, we can show the electric potential is also constant along the y-axis.
By setting the potential ò 0 = 0 at the origin, the electric potential of an infinite line of
charge at (^, ñ) is
î ^a + ña
ò8 (I, ô, ö) = ln
4ãü8 (I − ^)a + ô − ñ a
Similarly, we can get the electric potential for other image wires
î ^a + ña
ò[ I, ô, ö = − ln
4ãü8 (I + ^)a + ô − ñ a
î ^a + ña
òa (I, ô, ö) = ln
4ãü8 (I + ^)a + ô + ñ a
î ^a + ña
ò: I, ô, ö = − ln
4ãü8 (I − ^)a + ô + ñ a
The total electric potential becomes,
î (I + ^)a + ô − ñ a (I − ^)a + ô + ñ a
ò I, ô, ö = ln
4ãü8 (I − ^)a + ô − ñ a (I + ^)a + ô + ñ a

7
(b)
£ £ î§
ì= = =
bò ò ^ − õ, ñ, 0 − ò(0,0,0) î õ)a
(2^ − (õ)a + 2ñ a
ln
4ãü8 (−õ)a (2^ − õ)a + 2ñ a
4ãü8 § 2ãü8 §
= =
2^ñ a 2^ñ
ln ln
(^a + ñ a )õ a õ ^a + ña
ì 2ãü8
→ =
§ ln 2^ñ
õ ^a + ña
(c) The force on the wire is the electric force on the wire from three image wires.
From Gauss’s law, the electric field created by three image wires at the point (I, ô, 0),
î 1
û= − I + ^ † + (ô − ñ)°
2ãü8 I+^ + ô−ñ a
a

1
+ I + ^ † + (ô + ñ)°
I+^ a+ ô+ñ a
1
− I − ^ † + (ô + ñ)°
I−^ + ô+ñ a
a

Substitute I, ô = (^, ñ), we get

î (^† + ñ°) 1 1
û= − † − °
4ãü8 ^a + ñ a ^ ñ
The force on the wire is
î (^† + ñ°) 1 1 • îa (^† + ñ°) 1 1
• = ¶û = î§ a a
− † − ° → = a a
− †− °
4ãü8 ^ + ñ ^ ñ § 4ãü8 ^ + ñ ^ ñ

5. A Flying Square Loop (8 points) (8 )

A square loop of side ^ and mass ] is made of resistive material with a total resistance E. At
_ = 0, the loop is located at I = 0 and moves with velocity h8 I. The loop lies in the x-y
®
plane. There is a magnetic field ß = ß8 ö where ß8 > 0 is a constant. In the problem,
®©
we neglect the effect of gravity.
0 6a 6m 6E _=0 I=
®
0 h I R x-y ß=ß ö ß >0