Exercise 1

A cylindrical copper conductor, d = 100 m long and having an section area

Σ= 4 mm2 is crossed by a current of intensity i = 8 A. Knowing that the
copper has resistivity at room temperature equal to ρ= 1.67⸳10-8 Ωm and unit volum
carriers number n = 8.49⸳1028 m-3, determine the drift speed vd of electrons and the
energy Q dissipated in the Joule effect in 10 s.
Solution

Exercise 2
A tin wire long l = 1 m and having a circular section Σ= 1 mm2 is covered from a
current i. Calculate the maximum current value that could across the wire if the
outside temperature is 20 ° C. The heat transfer coefficient is h=10 J/m2 Ks, the tin
melting temperature is Tm= 232 ° C, the resistivity at 20 ° C is ρ0 = 11⸳10-8 Ωm with
temperature coefficient α= 4.7⸳10-3 ° C-1.
Solution
When the current passes the it overheats due to Joule, part of the heat causes a rise in
temperature of the lo while the other is transferred to the environment. Therefore the
energy balance is described by the following equation
Ri2=mcdT+hS(T -Tenv)
where the first member represents the energy dissipated in the Joule effect, while
on the second member there is a term that describes the increase in temperature
in function of the absorbed heat and the other represents the transmission of heat to
the environment external. The latter is represented by Newton's law, where h is
the heat transfer coefficient, S the lateral surface of the wire, T the wire temperature,
Tenv the temperature of the external environment and t the time. At equilibrium there
is no longer an increase in temperature of the wire and therefore dT = 0, so we get
Ri2=hS(Tm -Tenv)
The resistence depends from temperature in this way:
T0=Tenv, T=Tm, S=2πrl and r=(Σ/π)0.5 so

i=5.85 A

Exercises 3
Show that in the circuit in the figure there is the maximum power transferred when
the load resistance R is equal to the internal resistance of the generator r.

Solution

For R> r the function is decreasing while for R <r it is increasing.

Therefore R = r is a maximum point where there is maximum energy transfer.

Exercises 4
A copper wire long l = 100 m and having a cross section Σ= 1 mm2 is closed on a
generator that applies a voltage ε= 30 V. The wire is wrapped in an insulating sheath.
Determine how long it takes for the temperature to change from T 0 = 0 ° C to
T1 = 100 ° C.
(For copper the resistivity at 0 ° C is ρ0 = 1.7⸳10-8 Ωm with coefficient of
temperature α= 4.26⸳10-3 ° C-1, specific heat cp = 0.092 cal/g °C and density
σ= 8920 Kg/m3).
Solution
The energy dissipated by Joule effect causes a rise in temperature and with the
increase of the temperature there is also a variation of the resistance.
The energy dissipated in the resistor is

this energy is equivalent to the heat absorbed

You have to pay close attention to the units of measurement, both quantities must
be expressed in Joule therefore it is necessary to consider that 1 cal = 4.186 J and
therefore cp = 0.092 cal/g °C = 385 J/kgC. By equating, we obtain:

By integration

Exercises 5
A lead wire at T=1.2 K, long d=10 m with a cross section Σ=4 mm2, is crossed by a
current i=0.2 mA. To calculate:
(a) the current density j;
(b) the power P dissipated per Joule effect;
(c) the dissipated energy Q per Joule effect after a time t = 7 s.
(Note that the critical temperature of lead is Tc = 7.22 K. Below
at this temperature, lead is a superconductor. The electron density of the
lead is n=13.2⸳1028 m-3, the resistivity at T=20 ° C is ρ0=20.7⸳10-8 Ωm and the
temperature coefficient of resistivity is α= 3.4⸳10-3 ° C-1.
Solution
We find the current density

The power dissipated per Joule effect is given by:

P = Ri2 = 0 Watt:
because inside a superconductor R = 0 Ω

Exercises 6
Two metallic conductors are given, one of aluminum and one of copper,
homogeneous of equal section Σ and resistivity ρ1 and ρ2 arranged in series and
traversed by a current stationary i. Show that in a section of conductor of generic
length l, comprising welding, the overall electric charge present is different from
zero. Calculate the excess charge when i = 10 A and Σ= 1 cm2 with ρ1 = 2.56⸳10-8
Ωm (for aluminum) and ρ2 = 1.56⸳10-8 Ωm (for copper).
Solution
Indicate with j1 and j2 the current densities in the two conductors, in steady state
yes you have
j1 = j 2 = j
from which, by Ohm's law ρj = E, we obtain
E1/ρ1=E2/ρ2
and therefore the electric field has different intensity in the two conductors.
Now consider the Gauss surface defined by the lateral surface of a section
of conductor of generic length l and by two sections, one of which is located in
first conductor Σ1and the other Σ2 in the second conductor and obviously Σ1=Σ2=Σ.
The flow of E through this closed surface is:

therefore, by Gauss's theorem, in the volume enclosed by the aforesaid surface

the charge Q is contained in Gauss:

This charge corresponds to 5 electrons.

Exercises 7
We have an open RC circuit in series without a generator. At instant t = 0 s
the circuiti s closed.
(a) Is this system a harmonic oscillator?
(b) What is the time constant of the circuit if R = 2 Ω and C = 8⸳10-5 F?
(c) What is the initial total energy of the system if at t = 0 s the charge on the
armatures of the capacitor is q(t=0)=2⸳10-3 C?
(d) What is the final energy of the system?
Solution

This is not the harmonic oscillator equation, in fact the capacitor discharges
on the resistance and all the energy contained in the capacitor is dissipated on
resistance for Joule effect.
The time constant of the circuit is
τ= RC=1.6 ⸳10-4 s
and the energy of the system at t = 0 s is

The final energy of the system is obviously equal to zero as this is a system
dissipative having R different from 0.

Exercises 8
A charged plane capacitor with plates parallel to the yz plane is filled with
a dielectric material whose polarization vector is P = 2i + 4j + 8k. How many
are the charge densities of surface polarization σp and volume ρp?
If the charges on the capacitor plates are homogeneously distributed with
constant charge density σ0 what is the electric induction vector D inside
of the capacitor? Is the dielectric isotropic?
Solution

It is true that

NIET the dielectric is not isotropic

Exercise 9
In the center of a hollow spherical conductor, with internal radius R 1 and external
radius R2, a point charge q is contained. Write the field and potential expressions in
the regions A (r<R1), B (R1<r<R2) and C (r>R2).
Subsequently a second charge q’ = 2q is carried from an infinite distance is added
to conductor. Write the new field and potential con configuration in the three regions.

Solution

By total induction on the inner surface of the conductor there will be a charge -q and
on the external one a charge +q and the electric field in a conductor is always zero,
therefore in region B we have E=0 as can be easily verified using Gauss's theorem.
For region C, using Gauss' theorem again we get:

Exercise 10
An isolated metal sphere of radius R carries an electric charge Q. Determine the
radius of the sphere within which 50% of the electrostatic energy of the system is
contained.
Solution
Inside a conductor the electric field is always zero. Therefore the density
of electrostatic energy must be calculated only outside the sphere
since

To calculate the spherical shell of radii R and R’ (with R<R’) in which

50% of the electrostatic energy associated with the charged sphere is stored
solve the following equation

Exercise 11
An electrostatic potential is present in a region of space V(x;y;z)=V0ln (x2+y2+z2);
where V0 is a known constant. To determine:
(a) the electrostatic field;
(b) the energy density associated with the field;
(c) the energy present inside a sphere of radius r0 centered in the origin of the system
of Cartesian axes;
(d) the charge present in the same sphere.
Solution
E is conservative in R3-[0,0,0]

Exercise 12
In a generic region of space there is an electric field
E(x,y,z)=C[(2x-5z-2y)i+(y-2x)j+(3z-5x+8) k] where C=1 (Volt/m2).
Answer to following questions:
1) Is this electric field E conservative? Why?
2) What is the density of electric energy wE associated to electric field?
3) What is charge density ρ associated to electric field?
4) What is the total charge present in a sphere of radius R=0.07 m and center in
the origin of system of reference?
Solution
𝒊 𝒋 𝑘
𝜕 𝜕 𝜕
∇𝑥𝑬 = 𝐶 =𝟎
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
2𝑥 − 5𝑧 − 2𝑦 𝑦 − 2𝑥 3z − 5x + 8

The field 𝐄 is conservative.

wE(x,y,z)= 0.5ε0C2[(2x-5z-2y)2+(y-2x)2+(3z-5x+8)2]
wE(0,0,0)=32 C2ε0=32∙8.85∙10-12 J/m3
∇ ∙ 𝑬 = ρ/ε0 → ρ=ε0∇ ∙ 𝑬= Cε0[∂Ex/∂x+∂Ey/∂y+∂Ez/∂z] = Cε0[2+1+3]
=6Cε0=5.3 10-11 C/m3
Q=∫∫∫ρ(x,y,z)dxdydz=6Cε04πR3/3=7.7 10-14 Coulomb
 Exercise 13
A solid non conducting sphere (with relative dielectric constant r) of radius R=0.3 m
has a non-uniform charge distribution with a volume charge density ρ(r)=k/r, where
k=3 10-4 C/m2 and r is the distance from the center of the sphere.
Calculate:
1) the numerical value of the total charge on the sphere;
2) the electric field E inside and outside the sphere in function of r;
3) the electric potential V(r) inside and outside the sphere,
4) the numerical value of the energy associate to electric field E in the region outside the
sphere.
Solution
Q=dv=R0 kr-14r2dr=4kR2/2=1.7∙10-4 C
The problem has spherical symmetry so if we apply the Gauss theorem to
mathematical spherical surfaces of radius r with the same center of our solid sphere,
we have

E(r)4r2=Q(r)/0r=r0 kr-14r2dr/0r
Ein(r)= 4kr2/(2r04r2)= k/(2r0) r≤R
Eout(r)= Q(r=R)/(40r2) =kR2/(20r2) r≥R

r≥R
V(r=+∞) -V(r)= -V(r)=-∫r∞ Eout(r)dr = -kR2/(20r)
V(r)= kR2/(20r) and V(r=R) = kR/ (20)

r≤R
V(r)-V(r=R) = -∫Rr Ein(r)dr = -∫Rr drk/(2r0) = k(R-r)/(2r0)
V(r)=V(r=R) + k(R-r)/(2r0) = k(2R-r)/(2r0)

U=∫R∞dr4πr20.50Eout2(r)=∫R∞dr4πr20.50 (kR2)2/(20r2)2=
∫R∞2πk2R4/(40r2) dr= 2πk2R4/(40) ∫R∞ r-2dr= πk2R3/(20)=4.3 102J
Exercise 14
A charge with σ density is distributed over a very large insulating surface. A small
circular hole of radius R is made at the central point of the sheet as
shown in the figure. Ignore the distortion of the field lines at the edges and calculate
the electric field at a point P at a distance z from and center of the hole, along its
axis.

Solution
If we fill the hole of radius R with charges distributed with the same σ density we
obtain a flat uniform distribution whose field at point P is a parallel and concordant
vector the z axis of component

Ez = σ/2ε0.
The field produced by a disk of radius R on its axis, loaded homogeneously, is given
by

By the superposition principle, the field required by the problem can then be obtained
as the difference between the field of the plane and the field of the disk (with charge
of opposite sign) uniformly charged:

Exercise 5
A flat capacitor is constructed using a dielectric material whose relative dielectric
constant is εr = 3 and whose dielectric strength is k=2.00⸳108 V/m.
The desired capacitance is 0.2 μF and the capacitor must maintain a difference
of potential of 3000 V. Calculate the minimum area S of the armatures.
Solution
The electric field in the material is:

The dielectric strength k is the maximum value of the electric field that can be
tolerated by the dielectric without breaking the molecular bonds; therefore we obtain:

Capacitance is given by the ratio between quantity of charge and electric potential.

from which we obtain:

Exercise 16
A flat plate of non-homogeneous dielectric material, of thickness d, is inserted
in a flat capacitor with plates parallel to the yz plane of area Σ, up to
fill it completely. In the capacitor there exists, neglecting edge effects,
a uniform electric field E0 normal to the plate itself and therefore directed along
the x axis. The dielectric polarizes with polarization vector P parallel to E0 and
a distributed polarization charge with volume density ρp(x) = −ax born (a is a
constant of appropriate size). Knowing that the surface charge density of
polarization σp is negligible on the left face of the plate, determine the
polarization P(x) and the electric field E(x) as a function of x and the charge density
surface polarization on the right side of the plate.
Verify that the sum of the polarization charges is zero

Solution
We set x = 0 on the left plate.
The polarization surface charge density on the same face of this plate
is given by

σp(0) = P(0) · ux = −P(0) = 0,

while the volume charge density will be

The normal component of the electrical induction vector D does not change at the
interface between the void and the plate on the left side so you can write

The polarization surface charge density on the right plate will simply be

The polarization surface charge is

where Σ is the surface of the capacitor plates.

The volume polarization charge is given by
Exercise 17

Solution
Exercise 18
Electric potential exists inside a region of space:
V(x,y,z) = 2C1x2 − 2C2y2 − 2C3z2 − 4C3zx − 4C3zy + 4C3xy
where C1, C2 and C3 are constants in appropriate units of measurement.
To calculate:
(a) the values of C1, C2 and C3 such that V(x,y,z) can be the electric potential in
a region of space free of charges;
(b) the electric field E;
(c) the energy density associated with the presence of the electric field E in the origin
of the coordinate system;
(d) the charge density ρ associated with the electric field E.
(e) Is the electric field E conservative? Why
Solution
Poisson equation with ρ=0

Of course ρ=0 because it was the starting point!