Thin wire alternating exerts force on a nearby charge

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a thin, straight, infinite wire conducting an alternating current described by a specific time-dependent function. The task is to calculate the force exerted on a point charge located at a distance from the wire, considering relativistic effects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of Ampere's law to derive the magnetic field around the wire and the implications of a changing magnetic field. Some question the complexity of evaluating integrals related to the potential and electric field. Others mention the effects of electromagnetic waves on a stationary charge and the subsequent motion of the charge when it becomes active.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes various approaches to the problem, with some participants suggesting potential methods involving integrals and retarded times. There is no explicit consensus, but several lines of reasoning are being explored, including the use of potentials and the behavior of charges in electromagnetic fields.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note the difficulty of evaluating certain integrals due to their dependence on retarded times, and there is mention of time-specific calculations that may simplify the problem.

CptXray
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Homework Statement


There's a thin, straight, infinite wire conducting alternating current:
$$I(t) = I_{0}\exp(-\kappa t^2),$$
where ##\kappa > 0##.
Calculate the force exerted on point charge ##q## that is located in distance ##\rho## from the wire. Consider relativistic effects.

Homework Equations


Ampere's law:
$$\int\limits_{\partial V} \vec{B} \vec{\mathrm{d}l} = \int \limits_{V} \vec{j} \vec{\mathrm{d} s}$$
$$\nabla \times \vec{E} = - \frac{\partial{\vec{B}}}{\partial{t}}$$

The Attempt at a Solution


First, the magnetic field of a straight infinite wire:

Using Ampere's law, where ##\partial{V}## is a circle, centered on the wire:

$$\int\limits_{\partial V} \vec{B} \vec{\mathrm{d}l} = \int \limits_{V} \vec{j} \vec{\mathrm{d} s}$$
$$B_{\phi} 2 \pi r = \mu_{0} I$$
$$B_{\phi} = \frac{\mu_{0}I}{2\pi} \frac{1}{r} \hat{\phi},$$
where ##B_{\phi}## is a magnetic field in azimuthal direction and ##r## is the distance from the wire.
Now, I know that the magnetic field is changing with time:
$$- \frac{\partial{B_{\phi}}}{\partial{t}} = 2kt\frac{\mu_{0} I}{2\pi}\frac{1}{r} \hat{\phi}$$
I tried doing double curl ##\nabla \times (\nabla \times \vec{B}) = \nabla (\nabla \cdot \vec{E}) - \Delta E##, but I have a feeling that it gets me nowhere.
 
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If the charge is not initially moving, the only effect would be reaction force due scattering of EM wave emitted by wire antenna (Thomson scattering).

After electron will start moving, it will generally move in cycloidal path (due interaction with variable magnetic and electric field) away from wire.
 
Ok, if there's anyone else interested in this topic it's really well explained in "Introduction to electrodynamics" third edition by David Griffiths Chapter 10.
 
Hello, @CptXray . Were you able to solve the problem? I tried to approach it by setting up an integral for the potential A and then finding the electric field E from A. However, the integral seems too difficult to evaluate due to the integrand depending on retarded times.
 
@TSny, apparently the trick is to write the potential $$\vec{A}(\rho) = \frac{\mu_{0}}{4 \pi} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{I(t - t_{r}) \hat{e}_{z}}{\sqrt{z^2 + \rho^2}},$$ where ##t_{r} = t - \frac{1}{c}\sqrt{z^2 + \rho^2}##. The other step is to see that function under itegral is diverging really quickly so you can take time derivative ##\frac{\partial{}}{\partial{t}}## of a function under integral. Next you calculate the integral in time ##t=0##. Result should be:
$$\vec{E}(\rho) = \frac{ \mu_{0} I_{0} \sqrt{k} } { 2 \sqrt{\pi} }\exp\big({-\frac{k}{c^2}\rho^2}\big) \hat{e}_{z}.$$
Sorry it's written really briefly, but I have an exam in few hours.
 
CptXray said:
@TSny, apparently the trick is to write the potential $$\vec{A}(\rho) = \frac{\mu_{0}}{4 \pi} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{I(t - t_{r}) \hat{e}_{z}}{\sqrt{z^2 + \rho^2}},$$ where ##t_{r} = t - \frac{1}{c}\sqrt{z^2 + \rho^2}##. The other step is to see that function under itegral is diverging really quickly so you can take time derivative ##\frac{\partial{}}{\partial{t}}## of a function under integral. Next you calculate the integral in time ##t=0##. Result should be:
$$\vec{E}(\rho) = \frac{ \mu_{0} I_{0} \sqrt{k} } { 2 \sqrt{\pi} }\exp\big({-\frac{k}{c^2}\rho^2}\big) \hat{e}_{z}.$$
Sorry it's written really briefly, but I have exam in few hours.
Oh. I didn't know that you only needed the result for the special time t = 0. Thanks.
 

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