SCHOOL OF PHYSICS PHYS3302: Special Relativity - 2013 Assignment # 3 Problems marked with ** are assessable.

A total of 15 assessment marks for this assignment. Textbook: (Chapt .12 ) Introduction to Electrodynamics, Griths (3rd Edition)
1. (Basically problem 12.40 in Griths) (a) Show that the 3-vector (ordinary) acceleration of a particle of mass m and charge q , moving at a velocity u under the inuence of electromagnetic elds E and B , is given by: a= q m 1 u2 /c2 E + u B 1 u(u E ) c2 (1)

[Hint: Recall Problem (5) part (f) in Assignment #2.] (b) For u << c, Equation (1) implies a is parallel to the electromagnetic force, Fem , as expected. But is this still true for charges moving at relativistic speeds? (c) If a particles initial 3-velocity were zero, in the presence of magnetic and electric elds that are not aligned, could that particle experience a uniform acceleration as dened in Problem 6 of Assignment 2? [Note: Parts (b) and (c) require only words - no calculations required.]

**2. Consider the set-up in the gure below, which shows a current carrying wire in two inertial reference frames, Frame S and Frame S, with a charge, q, at an instantaneous perpendicular distance, s, from the wires axis of symmetry. Frame S is traveling at a velocity of w in the positive x-direction with respect to Frame S. The charge is travelling with a velocity of u in the x-direction in Frame S and u in Frame S. The charge densities shown for Frame S are such that + = . In Frame S, the positive charges are stationary at v+ = 0 and the negative charges have a velocity of v = v in the positive x-direction. (a) What is the total charge density and what is the total current in Frame S? (b) What is the total charge density and what is the total current in Frame S ? Give your answers in terms of the quantities measured in Frame S. (c) What are the electric and magnetic eld vectors (i.e., magnitudes and directions) at charge q in Frame S? (d) What are the electric and magnetic eld vectors (i.e., magnitudes and directions) at charge q in Frame S ? Give your answers in terms of the quantities measured in Frame S.

(e) What is the force 3-vector (i.e., magnitude and direction) acting on charge q in Frame S? (f) What is the force 3-vector (i.e., magnitude and direction) acting on charge q in Frame S ? Give your answer rst in terms of the electric and magnetic elds that you have calculated for Frame S, then in terms of the force vector calculated for Frame S.

**3. In Lecture 8, we showed that the Lorentz Electromagnetic Force, F = q (E + u B ), was part of a 4-vector Force K = q F . In addition we showed (as proof of the 4-vector nature of K): K = q F = K Consider the Inertial Reference Frame Transformation in Problem 2, between Frame S and Frame S. Use the rst form of the transformation of K (i.e. K = q F ) and the denition of each of the components of K in the primed inertial reference frame to answer part (f) of Problem 2 (i.e., give F rst in terms of the E and B you determined for Frame S in Problem 2, then in terms of the F you determined for Frame S in Problem 2). Do your answers, using K directly, agree with what you got for part (f) in Problem 2 where you used Maxwells Equations for each frame? [Hint: Expand K = q F for = 1, 2, and 3 in terms of the Frame S components of u and F .]

3 4. In class we derived a covariant form of Maxwells Equations using the 4-Vector potential A . There also exists another covariant form of Maxwells Equations, that you should be aware of, using the E and B elds more directly as they appear in the second-rank tensors F and G , where: F = o J , x G =0 x

(2)

(Note, that the covariant form of the 4-Grad is being used in both expressions.) The second-rank tensor F was dened in Lecture 8. The second-rank tensor G is the dual tensor to F in that under Lorentz transformations, G = G , produces the same E and B transformations as F : Ex = Ex ; Ey = v (Ey vBz ); Ez = v (Ez + vBy ) Bx = Bx ; By = v (By + v Ez ); c2 Bz = v (Bz v Ey ) c2

G can be derived from F by substituting the following: E cB and B E/c so: G = 0 Bx By Bz Bx 0 Ez /c Ey /c By Ez /c 0 Ex /c Bz Ey /c Ex /c 0

Prove that the covariant forms in (2) above reproduce Maxwells Equations. [Hint: Just expand all eight equations given in (2) - and associate each with their correct Maxwell Equation.]

**5. The 3-vector Conservation of Charge Equation ( j = t ), shown on Slide 12 of Lecture 8, is the result of the Divergence Theorem used on the following integral equation for an arbitrary volume, V , enclosing a medium with a charge density of (Coulombs per m3 ) and current density (or charge ux) of j (Coulombs per m2 per s):
A

j ndA =
V

dV t dV t

(3)

i.e.,
V

jdV =
V

where A is the surface area surrounding volume V , and n represents the outward normal vectors to this area. The LHS of equation (3) represents the sum of the charges crossing area A into volume V per second. The RHS is the charge change per second in that volume. Slide 12 then goes on

4 to show that this 3-vector form of the Conservation of Charge can be represented by a covariant equation using the 4-Divergence operator on the Current Density 4-vector: J = 0 Use the above as an analogy for the following. In Lecture 6 Slide 13, we showed that for a stressed mechanical medium with internal stress imbalances that the momentum entering a volume (either by medium motion or via the stresses) increase the momentum inside a volume, dV . We calculated this for the stationary frame, Frame So where the motion of the uid is small (due to the stress imbalance) and the stresses are those for Frame So . However, the same derivation can be followed in a frame, Frame S moving with a velocity of v = u with respect to Frame So in the x-direction to give: i [S ij + i uj ]nj dA = dV (4) A V t (a) Given that we dened the Energy-Stress Tensor, T in Frame S to be: T ij = S ij + i uj ; T 00 = c2 ; T 0i = T i0 = ci (f or i = 1, 2, 3)

(Slide 14, Lecture 6) use the analogy of Charge Conservation above to write a covariant representation (using 4-Divergence operator and the Energy-Stress Tensor) of the momentum conservation equation given by (4). (b) Create a similar equation to Equation (4) to express energy conservation in the medium using the fact that c2 momentum density in the ith direction is equal to the energy ux across an area with a normal in the ith direction (see Slide 6, Lecture 3). Based on this equation, derive a covariant representation of energy conservation in a stressed, mechanical medium with a velocity ow. (c) Combine your answers to parts (a) and (b) to obtain the covariant form of the general Energy-Momentum Conservation Law for a owing, stressed mechanical medium in special relativity.

**6. (Basically problem 12.42 in Griths) A parallel-plate capacitor, at rest in Frame So and tilted at a 60o angle to the xo axis, carries charge densities of o on the two plates as shown in the gure below. Frame S is moving to the right at a speed of v in the positive x-direction relative to Frame So . (a) Find Eo (all three components), between the plates in Frame So . (b) Find E (all three components), between the plates in Frame S .

(c) What angle do the plates make with the x-axis in Frame S? (d) What angle to the plates does the E vector in Frame S make, if Frame S has a speed of 0.8c w.r.t. Frame So ? (e) Is your result to (d) expected? Explain. [Recall: For a single stationary plate lying in the x-y plane with a positive surface charge density , the electric eld above the plate will be pointing in the z-direction, with a magnitude of 2o ]

7. (Problem 12.47 in Griths) An electromagnetic plane wave of angular frequency and wave number k is traveling in the x direction through the vacuum. It is polarised in the y direction, and the amplitude of the electric eld is Eo . (a)Write down the electric and magnetic elds, E (x, y, z, t) and B (x, y, z, t). Dene any quantities you introduce. (b)This same wave is observed from an inertial Frame S moving in the positive x direction with a speed v relative to Frame S . Find the electric and magnetic elds, E (x , y , z , t ) and B (x , y , z , t ) in terms of the coordinates in Frame S . (c) What is the frequency and wavelength in Frame S in relation to these same quantities in Frame S ? From and , determine the speed of the wave in Frame S . Is it what you expected? (d)What is the ratio of the intensity in Frame S to the intensity in Frame S of the electromagnetic plane wave? (e) Use your answers above to describe in words how the electromagnetic wave appears to an observer as he/she approaches the speed of light going in the positive x direction (i.e., in the same direction as the wave).

6 (f) By analogy to the above, describe in words how the electromagnetic wave would appear to an observer as she/he approaches the speed of light going in the NEGATIVE x-direction (i.e., in the opposite direction as the wave OR in other towards the wave). Einstein wondered about (e) and (f) as a youth.

8. (Problem 12.61 in Griths with my modications) An electric dipole consists of two point charges (q ), each of mass m, xed to the ends of a (massless) rod of length d. (Do NOT assume d is small, so do NOT expand solutions into series.) (a) Find the net self-force on the dipole when it undergoes hyperbolic motion along a line perpendicular to its dipole axis. That is when: x(t) = 2mc2 F 1 + (F t/2mc)2 1

or, expressing this in another way, when ct = 2mc2 F 1+ F x(t) 2mc2

2

[Hint: Start by modifying Eq. 11.90 in Griths, that is the equation in your lecture notes relating to the dipole with two positive charges. ] (b) Explain the self-force in terms of the inertia of the dipole. (c) Notice that this self-force is constant (t drops out), and points in the direction of motion - just right to produce hyperbolic motion. Is it thus possible for the dipole to undergo self-sustaining accelerated motion with no external force at all by turning o the external force once the dipole is in motion? Where is the energy coming from if it does? Determine the self-sustaining force, Fself , in terms of m, q , and d by setting the external force to zero in your solution to part (a). Note: The Solution given in Griths for part (c) is for just one charge. For the dipole as a whole I get: Fself 4mc2 = d q 2 o 8md
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