Recent content by BigTanker

@Stealth and ehild: I should have stated in my OP explicitly that the problem wanted me to use the equation \boldsymbol F = (\boldsymbol p \cdot \nabla ) \boldsymbol E. I see where my math error was, but if I think about it that way, it seems that \boldsymbol p \cdot \nabla is a scalar, thus...

I also realized that in my initial attempt at a solution, that I was taking the gradient of E as opposed to the divergence of \boldsymbol E. So, taking the divergence gives me \boldsymbol F (r) = \boldsymbol p \frac{1}{r^2} \frac{\partial r^2 E}{\partial r} = \frac{\boldsymbol p}{4 \pi...

I've found that I can reach the answer using the expression for torque, \boldsymbol \tau = \boldsymbol p \times \boldsymbol E = |\boldsymbol p | |\boldsymbol E | (-\hat{\phi}), and that |\boldsymbol F | = \frac{|\boldsymbol \tau |}{R}. Therefore, \boldsymbol F = \frac{|\boldsymbol p |...

Homework Statement A point charge, Q, is "nailed down" on a table. Around it, at radius R, is a frictionless circular track on which a dipole \boldsymbol{p} rides, constrained to always point tangent to the circle. Show that the electric force on the dipole is (in the forward direction of the...