Lecture Ch04

Electrodynamics I (Phys3081)-Chap-4:
Electrostatics - Special Techniques for

Calculating Potential
Department of Physics
Yohannes Getachew (Ph.D.)
Topics to be covered
• Poisson’s and Laplace’s equations
• Boundary conditions and uniqueness theorem
• Method of images
• Multipole expansion
Introduction
• Recall – Coulomb’s law,
• And potential
• Unfortunately, integrals of this type can be difficult to calculate for any but the
simplest charge configurations.
• In such cases, it is fruitful to recast the problem in differential form, using Poisson’s
equation
• Poisson’s equation reduces to Laplace’s equation:

If ρ = 0
Existence and Uniqueness Theorem of Poisson’s
Equation and Laplace’s Equation
• Existence Theorem
• It can be shown that for Poisson’s equation (and in particular, Laplace’s
equation) inside a region when suitable conditions are imposed on the boundary
of the region, solutions do exist.
• Uniqueness Theorem
• It can be shown that for the Poisson’s equation (and in particular, the Laplace’s
equation) inside a region, when suitable conditions are imposed on the boundary
of the region, if a solution exists, then it is the unique solution
• This ensures that once we have constructed a solution that satisfies both the
differential equation and the given boundary conditions, we do not need to look
for other possible solutions
• The solution to Poisson’s (Laplace’s) equation in some regions is uniquely
determined if the value of V is specified on all boundaries of the region
Proof:
Special Techniques for Calculating Potentials
• Separation of Variables
Separation of Variables
Example-1
• Two infinite grounded metal plates lie parallel to the xz plane, one at y = 0, the other at
y = a. The left end, at x = 0, is closed off with an infinite strip insulated from the two
plates, and maintained at a specific potential V0(y). Find the potential inside this
“slot.”
• Solution
The configuration is independent of z, so this is really a two-dimensional problem. In mathematical
terms, we must solve Laplace’s equation,
Solution
• The first step is to look for solutions in the form of products:

V(x, y) = X(x)Y (y)
• we obtain
• ➔
• Here the first term depends only on x and the second only on y; in other
words, we have an equation of the form
f (x) + g(y) = 0
Soln. cont. …
• The above equation follows the form
• In our particular problem we need C1 positive and C2 negative, for

reasons that will appear in a moment. Thus
• The advantage of this is obvious—ordinary differential equations are a

lot easier to solve. Indeed:
Solution, cont. …
However, Laplace’s equation is

linear. Therefore, any linear
combination of the solutions is
also a solution to the equation.
Solution, cont. …
•C
Example-2
• Two infinitely-long grounded metal plates at y = 0 and y = a, are connected at x = ±b
by metal strips maintained at a constant potential V0, as shown in Fig (a thin layer of
insulation at each corner prevents them from shorting out). Find the potential inside
the resulting rectangular pip
Solution
• The configuration is independent of z.
V(x, y) = X(x)Y (y) .
• Thus, the Laplace’s equation ∇2 𝑉 = 0, ➔
• The solution will be
the region in question does not extend to x = ∞,
so ekx is perfectly acceptable. On the other
hand, the situation is symmetric with respect to
x, so V(−x, y) = V(x, y), and it follows that
A = B. Using
Example-2 – CONTI. …
V(x, y) = cosh kx (C sin ky + D cos ky)
Boundary conditions (i) and (ii) require, as before, that D = 0 and k = nπ/a, so
∴ the general linear combination
Example-3
An infinitely long rectangular metal pipe (sides a and b)
is grounded, but one end, at x = 0, is maintained at a
specified potential V0(y,z), as indicated in the Figure
below. Find the potential inside the pipe.
Example-3 – cont. …
• suggests that C1 must be positive, C2 and C3negative. Setting C2 = −k2 and C3 = −l2,
we have C1 = k2 + l2, and hence
This solution meets all the boundary conditions

except (vi). It contains two unspecified integers
• The solutions are (n and m), and the most general linear
combination is a double sum:
• From B.C (v), A = 0, form B.C (i), D = 0

(iii) yields F = 0, whereas (ii) and (iv) require
that k = nπ/a and l = mπ/b, where n and m are
positive integers. Combining the remaining
constants, we are left with
Spherical Coordinates
• Recall: Poisson’s equ. : reduces to Laplace’s equation: I if ρ = 0
• We have
A and B are the two arbitrary constants

Spherical Coordinates
• But the angular equation
•
• is not simple.
• The solutions are Legendre polynomials in
the variable cosθ:
Spherical Coordinates- Example-1
• The potential V0(θ ) is specified on the surface of
a hollow sphere, of radius R. Find the potential
inside and outside the sphere if given that the
potential at infinity is zero
Solution
Where
Example-1 … cont.
Case-1 Case-2
If Vo = V0(θ ) = k sin2 (θ/2)
where k is a constant,
Using the half-angle formula, we rewrite this as
𝑉 𝑅, 𝜃 = ෍ 𝐴𝑙 𝑅𝑙 𝑃𝑙 cos 𝜃 = 𝑉𝑜 (𝜃)
𝑙=0
⇒ 𝐴0 𝑅 0 𝑃0 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝐴1 𝑅1 𝑃1 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑘
= 𝑃𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑃1 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
2
𝑘 𝑘
⇒ 𝐴0 = , 𝐴1 = −
2 2𝑅
Therefore,
Example-1 … cont.
𝜃
Exercise: Find the potential if 𝑉0 = 𝑘 sin2 ( )
2
Exercise
Excerise
1. An uncharged metal sphere of radius R is placed in an otherwise uniform electric field 𝐸 = 𝐸0 𝑧.Ƹ
The field will push positive charge to the “northern” surface of the sphere, and—symmetrically—
negative charge to the “southern” surface (Figure below). This induced charge, in turn, distorts the
field in the neighborhood of the sphere. Find the potential in the region outside the
Multipole expansion of the Electric Potential
• Multipole expansions
• Electric multipoles and their moments
• Monopole and dipole, in detail
• Quadrupole, octupole, …
• Example use of multipole expansion as an approximate solution to
potential from a charge distribution
Multipole expansion …

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Electrodynamics I (Phys3081)-Chap-4:

Electrostatics - Special Techniques for

• Poisson’s equation reduces to Laplace’s equation:

• The first step is to look for solutions in the form of products:

• In our particular problem we need C1 positive and C2 negative, for

• The advantage of this is obvious—ordinary differential equations are a

However, Laplace’s equation is

This solution meets all the boundary conditions

• From B.C (v), A = 0, form B.C (i), D = 0

A and B are the two arbitrary constants

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