Mathematical method in electrical potential ?

igraviton
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Mathematical method in electrical potential ??

Hi All,
I need mathematical help from the topic electrical potential for lectures on physics by Richard Feynman.

Need some help to understand mathematical method used here.
question :
1) From electrical potential.png
( how this partial differential of ( -p/4∏ε (z/r^3)) with respect to z
⇔ -p/4∏ε (1/r^3 - 3z^2 / r^5) ?
similarly how to do partial differentiation with respect to x

2) From perpendicular_field.png
( how this E = p/4∏ε * 3z/r^5 √(x^2 + y^2) ⇔ p/4∏ε * (3 cosθsinθ/r^3)



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hi igraviton! :smile:

(try using the X2 button just above the Reply box :wink:)
igraviton said:
( how this partial differential of ( -p/4∏ε (z/r3)) with respect to z
⇔ -p/4∏ε (1/r3 - 3z2 / r5) ?

you use both the product rule (or the quotient rule) and the chain rule

for the chain rule, use ∂/∂z (f(r)) = ∂f(r)/dr ∂r/∂z

(and ∂r/∂z = … ? :smile:)
 
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Thank you tiny-tim,
after doing partial differentiation and chain rule i got following.
d (z/r^3)/dz = 1/[r][/3] - 3z/[x^4] * dr/dz
but actual answer is 1/[r^3] - 3z^2/[x^5]
 
And what is the definition of 'r' in terms of x, y, and z?
 
igraviton said:
d (z/r^3)/dz = 1/[r][/3] - 3z/[x^4] * dr/dz

(you mean ∂r/∂z)

ok … and now what is ∂r/∂z ? :smile:
 
yes Tiny-tim,

actual answer is

\frac{\partial (z/r^3)}{\partial z } = \frac{1}{r^3} - \frac{3z^2}{r^5}tiny-tim, as you told me i did partial differentiation using quotient rule and chain rule

and i got

\frac{\partial (z/r^3)}{\partial z } = 1/(r^3) - (3z)/r^4 \frac{\partial r}{\partial z}where
<br /> r = √(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)<br />
 
Last edited:
igraviton said:
tiny-tim, as you told me i did partial differentiation using quotient rule and chain rule

and i got

\frac{\partial (z/r^3)}{\partial z } = 1/(r^3) - (3z)/r^4 \frac{\partial r}{\partial z}

yes, but what is ∂r/∂z ?

(you can't just leave it there like that! :rolleyes:)
 
I don't know ! :confused:
what is \frac{\partial r}{\partial z}

I did following :

\frac {\partial \frac {z}{r^3}}{\partial z} = \frac {1 * r^3 - z * \frac {\partial r^3}{\partial z}}{(r^3)^2}

= \frac {1}{r^3} - \frac {z \frac {(\partial r^3)}{\partial z}}{r^6}

where
\frac {\partial r^3 }{\partial z} = (\frac {\partial r^3 }{\partial z}) (\frac {\partial r}{\partial z})

=> 3 * r^2 * \frac {\partial r}{\partial z}

putting back I got

=> \frac {1}{r^3} - \frac {3z}{r^4} * \frac {\partial r}{\partial z}
 
Let me know if i am doing wrong.. thanks in advance
 
  • #10
?? :confused:
igraviton said:
<br /> r = √(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)<br />

… so what is ∂r/∂z ? :smile:
 
  • #11
Think of r as f(x,y,z) = (x^2+y^2+z^2)^(1/2)

What is ∂f/∂z?
 
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