Solving Physics Homework: Question Redirected

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The discussion focuses on solving a physics homework problem involving spherical coordinates and boundary conditions for potential. It emphasizes that without specifying boundary conditions, determining the potential is impossible. The concept of a conducting sphere as an equipotential surface is highlighted, leading to the use of Laplace's equation. Participants discuss whether to assume no potential exists outside the spheroid and how boundary conditions influence the specific solution. The conversation also references a resource for further clarification and examples related to the topic.
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You use spherical coordinates, but without boundary conditions, you will not be able to find the potential, so you need to specify them.

Barring time-dependent boundary conditions, "conducting" means that the entire sphere is an equipotential.
 
So, my solution will satisfy:

\nabla^{2}\Psi = 0

\Psi = \sum a \Psi

Should I assume there will be no potential outside the spheroid (or whatever)? And do the boundary conditions determine what particular solution (there is a table of different ones) it will be?
 

Thread 'Help needed with Polarisation (Rotated Waveplates)'

(a) The polarisation pattern is elliptical with maximum (1,1) and minimum (-1,-1), and anticlockwise in direction. (b) I know the solution is a quarter-wave plate oriented π/4, and half-wave plate at π/16, but don't understand how to reach there. I've obtained the polarisation vector (cos π/8, isin π/8) so far. I can't find much online guidance or textbook material working through this topic, so I'd appreciate any help I can get. Also, if anyone could let me know where I can get more...
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