Understanding the Force on a Charged Hemisphere Using the Stress Tensor

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem from Griffiths' book concerning the calculation of the force on the northern hemisphere of a uniformly charged solid sphere by the southern hemisphere, utilizing the stress tensor. The parameters include a total charge Q and a radius R.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to compute the force using the stress tensor components but encounters a discrepancy in the expected results, specifically regarding the cosine terms in the dot product calculation. Some participants question the accuracy of the tensor components copied by the original poster.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of the tensor components and their application in the problem. Some guidance has been offered regarding the potential for errors in copying the tensor components, but no consensus has been reached on the correct approach or resolution of the issue.

Contextual Notes

The original poster expresses uncertainty about the tensor notation and the specific calculations involved, indicating a possible misunderstanding of the mathematical setup required for the problem.

Dathascome
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I'm having some trouble with an example in griffiths book about using the stress tensor. The problem is to find the force on the northern hemisphere of a uniformly charged solid sphere by the southern hemisphere. Charge Q, radius R. I understand that we will only need the zx, zy, and zz components of the tensor, and I can get those without a problem. The problem I have is with taking [tex](\vec(T) \cdot \vec(da))_z[/tex]( sorry I don't know how to right T as a tensor and not a vector). In the book they get [tex](\vec(T) \cdot \vec(da))_z=\epsilon_o/2\((Q/4\pi\epsilon_0R)^2\sin(\theta)cos(\theta)d\theta\ d\phi[/tex]

Where as I'm getting a cos ^3 instead of just a cos, and I can't see why.
I know that [tex]da=R^2sin(\theta)d\theta d\phi \hat{r}[/tex]
where [tex]\hat{r}=sin(\theta)cos(\phi)\hat{x}+sin(\theta)sin(\phi)\hat{y}+cos(\theta)\hat{z}[/tex]and that [tex]\epsilon_o/2\((Q/4\pi\epsilon_0R)^2[/tex]
along with
[tex]\vec(T)_z_x=\epsilon_o/2\((Q/4\pi\epsilon_0R)^2sin(\theta)cos(\theta)cos(\phi)[/tex]
[tex]\vec(T)_z_y=\epsilon_o/2\((Q/4\pi\epsilon_0R)^2sin(\theta)cos(\theta)sin(\phi)[/tex]
[tex]\vec(T)_z_y=\epsilon_o/2\((Q/4\pi\epsilon_0R)^2(cos(\theta)^2+sin(\theta)^2)[/tex]

So I take the dot product of each T_zx with da_x and the same with the other components but I don't cos, I get cos^3 for some reason.
Any help would be greatly appreciated...hope this wasn't too confusing o:)
 
Last edited:
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Just wanted to bump this back up...I messed up and hit submit before finishing. I hope someone really reads it this time :frown:
 
Are you sure you copied the tensor components correctly? In my book there is only an [itex]\epsilon_0/2[/itex] in front of Tzz. The other components just have an [itex]\epsilon_0[/itex].
 
Doh...I think I did copy it wrong...let me do it over and see what happens.
Usually it's the first thing I check...I hate making stupid mistakes like that :mad:
 

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