Electromagnetisim exam question (can someone please check)

  • Thread starter Thread starter vorcil
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Exam
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a problem in electromagnetism involving a dielectric material with specific properties, including electrical conductivity, relative permittivity, and relative permeability. The original poster presents a series of questions related to Maxwell's equations in matter, the polarization vector, and related quantities in the context of an electric field described by a cosine function.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to write Maxwell's equations in differential form, questioning whether to use auxiliary fields. They express uncertainty about the correct form of the equations in matter.
  • In discussing the polarization vector, some participants suggest two potential approaches but express uncertainty about the necessary parameters, such as electrical susceptibility and the displacement vector.
  • Regarding the volume density of bound charge, the original poster considers the implications of uniformity in the polarization vector and questions whether to compute its divergence.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different approaches to the problem. Some helpful guidance has been offered regarding the equations and concepts involved, but there is no explicit consensus on the methods or interpretations being discussed.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the lack of certain information, such as the electrical susceptibility and the displacement vector, which are necessary for progressing in the problem. The original poster also reflects on the implications of uniformity in the polarization vector for calculating bound charge density.

vorcil
Messages
395
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


A dielectric material has the following properties:
electrical conductivity [tex]\sigma = 0[/tex]
relative permittivity [tex]\epsilon_r = 3[/tex]
relative permeability [tex]\mu_r =1[/tex]

The electric field in the dielectric is given by
[tex]\mathbf{E} = E_0 cos(kz-\omega t)\hat{x}[/tex]

There are no time independent magnetic fields in the dielectric:

i) Write down maxwell's equation in matter in differential form
ii) find an expression for the polarization vector [tex]\mathbf{P}[/tex]
iii) find an expression for the volume density of bound charge
iv) find an expression for the volume density of free charge
v) find an expression for [tex]\frac{\parital \mathbf{E}}{\partial \mathbf{t}}[/tex]
iv) find an expression for [tex]\nabla \times \mathbf{E}[/tex], and hence deduce an expression for the magnetic field [tex]\mathbf{B}[/tex], in the dielectric.
vii) find [tex]\nabla . \mathbf{B}[/tex] and explain what this means physically
viii) What is the magnetization vector M in the dielectric?
ix) Find an expression for the phase speed [tex]\frac{\omega}{k}[/tex]

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution



i) Maxwells equations in differential form (THOUGH I'm not sure what they are in matter?)

curl/divergence of both magnetic and electric fields:

[tex]\nabla . \mathbf{E} = \frac{\rho}{\epsilon_0}[/tex] gauss's law
[tex]\nabla . \mathbf{B} = 0[/tex]
[tex]\nabla \times \mathbf{E} = -\frac{\partial \mathbf{B}}{\partial t}[/tex] faraday's law
[tex]\nabla \times \mathbf{B} = \mu_0\mathbf{J} + \mu_0\epsilon_0\frac{\partial \mathbf{E}}{\partial t}[/tex] maxwells fixed ampere's law

the question does say it wants the equations in matter,
so should I be using the auxhillary magnetic field and electric displacement field vectors H and D?

or would the equations in the form I gave be enough?

ii) (writing it up now)
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
ii)
Find an expression for the polarization vector P:


There are two ways I could think of to approach this question,

using [tex]\mathbf{P} =\epsilon_0\chi_e\mathbf{E}[/tex]

and the electrical displacement route, using [tex]\mathbf{D} = \epsilon_0 \mathbf{E} + \mathbf{P}[/tex]

but in both these methods, I don't know either [tex]\chi_e[/tex] the electrical susceptibility, nor do I know the Displacement vector D,

-

if I were to attempt this in an exam I would have just put down,

[tex]\mathbf{P} = \epsilon_0 \chi_e \epsilon_0 cos(kz-\omega t) = \epsilon_0^2 \chi_e cos(kz-\omega t)[/tex]
 
iii) Find an expression for the volume density of bound charge:

Using the equation 4.12 from griffiths, [tex]\rho_b = -\nabla . \mathbf{P}[/tex]

If the Polarization vector P, (I had [tex]\epsilon_0^2 \chi_e cos(kz-\omega t))[/tex]is uniform, the volume density of bound charge, [tex]\rho_b[/tex] = 0,

but I'm not sure it is uniform,

does that mean I should take the divergence of the Polarization vector P?
I would use Cartesian coordinates,

[tex](\frac{\partial}{\partial x},\frac{\partial}{\partial y},\frac{\partial}{\partial z})(P)?<br /> <br /> I'm not too sure[/tex]
 
:( ??
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Replies
19
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
Replies
44
Views
6K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K