Where Am I Going Wrong in Finding Radiation from an Oscillating Dipole?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the calculation of radiation from an oscillating dipole, specifically focusing on the dipole moment and its derivatives. The original poster attempts to derive expressions for the electric field based on the dipole moment's behavior over time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster presents their attempts at deriving the dipole moment and its derivatives, questioning the transition from the derived expressions to the required form in Eq. 1.39. Some participants suggest that the evaluation of derivatives may need to consider retarded time.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring the implications of evaluating quantities at retarded time. There is acknowledgment of the need to clarify the conditions under which the equations are applied, but no consensus has been reached on the specific issue at hand.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the complexities of the equations involved, particularly the implications of time evaluation in the context of radiation from oscillating dipoles. The original poster's confusion highlights potential gaps in understanding the application of the equations provided in their homework.

samjohnny
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Homework Statement



Dipole.png


2. Homework Equations [/B]

Given in the question.

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
For part a I obtained an expression for the the dipole moment:

##P(t)= P_0 cos(wt)##

And therefore, for part b, I obtained the expressions

##\frac{dP}{dt} = -wP_0 sin(wt)## and ##\frac{d^2P}{dt^2} = -w^2P_0 cos(wt)##.

Now when I make use of Eq. 1.39 to obtain ##E_\theta## for part c), I substitute in the above expression for ##\frac{d^2P}{dt^2}##, but end up with the cos term being ##cos(wt)## from ##\frac{d^2P}{dt^2}## as opposed to ##cos(kr-wt)## which is required. Not sure where I'm going wrong.
 
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In Eq. 1.39, the square brackets in the numerators denote a condition on the time at which you evaluate the quantities inside the brackets. Check your notes or text for details.
 
TSny said:
In Eq. 1.39, the square brackets in the numerators denote a condition on the time at which you evaluate the quantities inside the brackets. Check your notes or text for details.

Ah I believe that the derivatives must be evaluated at the retarded time, is that correct?
 
samjohnny said:
Ah I believe that the derivatives must be evaluated at the retarded time, is that correct?
Yes.
 
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