Exercise 4.1 A square plate in the x–y plane is situated in the space defined by −3 m ≤ x ≤ 3 m and −3 m ≤ y ≤ 3 m.

Find the total charge on the plate if the surface charge density is given by ρs = 4y2 (µC/m2 ).
Solution:

ρs = 4y2
Z
Q= ρs ds
S
Z 3Z 3
= 4y2 dx dy
−3 −3
3 3
4y3 x
= = 432 µC = 0.432 (mC).
3 −3 −3

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
Exercise 4.2 A spherical shell centered at the origin extends between R = 2 cm and R = 3 cm. If the volume charge
density is given by ρv = 3R × 10−4 (C/m3 ), find the total charge contained in the shell.
Solution:

ρv = 3R × 10−4
Z
Q= ρv d V
V
Z 3 cm Z π Z 2π
= 3R × 10−4 · R2 sin θ dR dθ dφ
R=2 cm θ =0 φ =0
3 cm
3R4 −4
= × 10 × 2 × 2π
4 2 cm
= 3π × 10−4 (3 × 10−2 )4 − (2 × 10−2 )4 = 0.61
 
(nC).

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
Exercise 4.3 Four charges of 10 µC each are located in free space at points with Cartesian coordinates (−3, 0, 0), (3, 0, 0),
(0, −3, 0), and (0, 3, 0). Find the force on a 20-µC charge located at (0, 0, 4). All distances are in meters.
Solution:

F4 F2
F1 F3

Q
Q1
R
R1
Q3 R3 Q4
R4 y
R2
Q2

R1 = −x̂ 3
R2 = x̂ 3
R3 = −ŷ 3
R4 = ŷ 3
R = ẑ 4
QQ1 R − R1 QQ1 ẑ 4 + x̂ 3 QQ1
F1 = = = (ẑ 4 + x̂ 3)
4πε0 |R − R1 |3 4πε0 125 500πε0
QQ2 R − R2 QQ2 ẑ 4 − x̂ 3 QQ2
F2 = = = (ẑ 4 − x̂ 3)
4πε0 |R − R2 |3 4πε0 125 500πε0
QQ3 R − R3 QQ3 ẑ 4 + ŷ 3 QQ3
F3 = = = (ẑ 4 + ŷ 3)
4πε0 |R − R3 |3 4πε0 125 500πε0
QQ4 R − R4 QQ4 ẑ 4 − ŷ 3 QQ4
F4 = = = (ẑ 4 − ŷ 3)
4πε0 |R − R4 |3 4πε0 125 500πε0

F = F1 + F2 + F3 + F4
200 × 10−12 32 × 10−12
= (ẑ 16) = ẑ = ẑ 0.23 (N).
500πε0 5π × 8.85 × 10−12

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
Exercise 4.4 Two identical charges are located on the x-axis at x = 3 and x = 7. At what point in space is the net electric
field zero?
Solution: Since both charges are on the x-axis, the point at which the fields due to the two charges can cancel has to lie on
the x-axis also. Intuitively, since the two charges are identical, that point is midway between them at (5, 0, 0).

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
Exercise 4.5 In a hydrogen atom the electron and proton are separated by an average distance of 5.3 × 10−11 m. Find the
magnitude of the electrical force Fe between the two particles, and compare it with the gravitational force Fg between them.
Solution:
qe qp (1.6 × 10−19 )2
Fe = = = 8.2 × 10−8 N.
4πε0 R2 4π × 8.85 × 10−12 (5.3 × 10−11 )2

Gme mp 6.67 × 10−11 × 9.11 × 10−31 × 1.67 × 10−27

Fg = = = 3.6 × 10−47 N.
R2 (5.3 × 10−11 )2

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
Exercise 4.6 An infinite sheet of charge with uniform surface charge density ρs is located at z = 0 (x–y plane), and another
infinite sheet with density −ρs is located at z = 2 m, both in free space. Determine E in all regions.
Solution: Per Eq. (4.25), for the sheet at z = 0,
 ρs
ẑ 2ε ,
 for z > 0,
0
E1 =
−ẑ ρs , for z < 0.

2ε0
Similarly, for the sheet at z = 2 m with charge density −ρs ,
 ρs
−ẑ 2ε , for z > 2 m,

0
E2 =
ẑ ρs ,

for z < 2 m.
2ε0
Hence, 

0, for z < 0,
 ρ
s
E = E1 + E2 = ẑ , for 0 < z < 2 m,

 ε0
0, for z > 2 m.


Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
Exercise 4.7 Two infinite lines of charge, each carrying a charge density ρl , are parallel to the z-axis and located at x = 1
and x = −1. Determine E at an arbitrary point in free space along the y-axis.
Solution:
y
E1 E2

^
r2 ^
r1
x
Line 2 1 1 Line 1

The distance between either line of charge and a point at y on the y-axis is r = (1 + y2 )1/2 .
For line 1,
r1 −x̂ + ŷ y
r̂1 = = .
r (1 + y2 )1/2
For line 2,
r2 x̂ + ŷ y
r̂2 = = .
r (1 + y2 )1/2
Using Eq. (4.33),

E = E1 + E2
r̂1 ρl r̂2 ρl
= +
2πε0 r 2πε0 r
(−x̂ + ŷ y)ρl (x̂ + ŷ y)ρl ŷ ρl y
= + = .
2πε0 (1 + y2 ) 2πε0 (1 + y2 ) πε0 (y2 + 1)

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
Exercise 4.8 A thin spherical shell of radius a carries a uniform surface charge density ρs . Use Gauss’s law to determine E.
Solution:

ρs

R1

R2

Z
n
D · ds = Q
S

Symmetry suggests that D is radial in direction. Hence,

D = R̂DR
ds = R̂ ds
Z Z
n
D · ds = n
DR ds = DR (4πR2 ) = Q
S S
Q
DR =
4πR2
• For a Gaussian surface of radius R1 < a, no charge is enclosed. Hence, Q = 0, in which case E = 0.

• For a Gaussian surface of radius R2 > a,

Q = ρs (4πa2 )
and
D R̂ R̂Q 4πρs a2 ρs a2
E= = Dr = = R̂ = R̂ .
ε ε 4πεR22 4πεR22 εR22

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
Exercise 4.9 A spherical volume of radius a contains a uniform volume charge density ρv . Use Gauss’s law to determine
D for (a) R ≤ a and (b) R ≥ a.
Solution:
(a)

R< a

For R ≤ a, Z Z
n
D · ds = n
Dr ds = Dr (4πR2 )
S S
Q within a sphere of radius R is
4
Q = πR3 ρv
3
Hence,
4
4πR2 DR = πR3 ρv
3
ρv R ρv R
Dr = , D = R̂Dr = R̂ , R ≤ a.
3 3
(b)

R> a

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall
For R ≥ a, total charge in sphere is
4
Q = πa3 ρv ,
3
2 4 3
4πR DR = πa ρv ,
3
ρv a3
D = R̂Dr = R̂ 2 , R ≥ a.
3R

Fawwaz T. Ulaby and Umberto Ravaioli, Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics c 2015 Prentice Hall