Solving the Integral present in Dirac's quantization of charge problem

In summary, the problem involves an electric and magnetic monopoles placed at the origin and a distance D away, say arbitrarily. The problem is to compute the angular momentum of the EM fields. After slogging along, the author was left with the following integral: \int_0^\infty{\frac{r dr}{[r^2+D^2-2Dru]^{3/2}}} which can be solved if the last integral can be broken down into two fractions.
  • #1
CmdrGuard
5
0

Homework Statement


This problem involves an electric monopole placed at the origin and a magnetic monopole placed a distance D away, say arbitrarily, along the z-axis.

I need to compute the angular momentum of the EM fieds:
[itex]\vec{J_{field}} = \frac{1}{4\pi c}\int{d\tau \vec{r} \times (\vec{E}\times \vec{B})}[/itex]

The integral is over all space. After trudging along, I am left with the following integral:

[itex]\int_0^\infty{\frac{r dr}{[r^2 +D^2 -2Dru]^{3/2}}}[/itex]

If I can solve this last integral, I am home free.

Homework Equations



All terms in the integral, other than r, are constants with respect to r.

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried using integration by parts but was not able to get anywhere. "u" substitution taking the argument of the cube root in the denominator as "u" doesn't seem productive, either.

Unless my above two attempts were done wrong, I must say I am out of ideas.

Can anyone suggest anything?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
I would try writing the denominator as

[tex]r^2-2rDu+D^2u^2 -D^2u^2 +D^2=(r-Du)^2 + D^2(1-u^2)[/tex]

then try letting v = r - Du, dv = dr and see what that gets you.
 
  • #3
Hi LCKurtz,

I can't seem to get much further with that approach as I'm left with a [tex](v+Du)dv[/tex] in the numerator and can't see where to go from there.
 
  • #4
CmdrGuard said:
Hi LCKurtz,

I can't seem to get much further with that approach as I'm left with a [tex](v+Du)dv[/tex] in the numerator and can't see where to go from there.

And so the integrand is

[tex]\frac{v+Du}{(v^2 + D^2(1-u^2))^\frac 3 2}[/tex]

right? Certainly you can break that into two fractions and do the v part of the numerator with a substitution. Doing the other part it probably makes a difference if 1-u2 is positive or negative. If it is positive that part has the form

[tex]\int \frac 1 {(v^2+k^2)^{\frac 3 2}}[/tex]

and I think a trig substitution would work. And if 1-u2 is negative a different trig or maybe a hyperbolic trig substitution looks like it should work. Did you try those?
 
  • #5
Yup.

That does it.

More specifically, [itex] 1-u^2 \geq 0 [/itex], since, for my problem, [itex] u \equiv cos(\theta) [/itex].

Thanks, LCKurtz.
 

Related to Solving the Integral present in Dirac's quantization of charge problem

1. What is Dirac's quantization of charge problem?

Dirac's quantization of charge problem refers to the issue of reconciling the concept of charge quantization in quantum mechanics with the continuous nature of electromagnetic fields. The problem was first identified by physicist Paul Dirac in 1931.

2. Why is solving the integral present in Dirac's quantization of charge problem important?

Solving the integral present in Dirac's quantization of charge problem is important because it is necessary for accurately describing the behavior of charged particles in quantum mechanics. It also has implications for understanding the fundamental nature of electromagnetism.

3. What is the integral in Dirac's quantization of charge problem?

The integral in Dirac's quantization of charge problem is known as the Dirac string. It is a mathematical construct used to represent the quantized nature of electric charge in a continuous electromagnetic field.

4. How has the problem of solving the integral in Dirac's quantization of charge been approached?

There have been several approaches to solving the integral in Dirac's quantization of charge problem, including the use of gauge theories, topological methods, and modifications to the original Dirac equation. However, a complete solution to the problem is still an active area of research.

5. What are some potential implications of solving the integral in Dirac's quantization of charge problem?

If the integral in Dirac's quantization of charge problem is successfully solved, it could provide a deeper understanding of the nature of electromagnetic fields and their interaction with charged particles. It could also lead to advancements in areas such as quantum computing and the development of new technologies.

Similar threads

  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
223
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
986
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
205
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
588
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
814
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
801
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
833
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
344
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
401
Back
Top