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PHYS3051 Methods in Theoretical Physics I (2016-17)

Homework 6
Due date: 5pm, April 21, 2017 (Friday)

Note: You should work out your steps in detail and show them clearly.

1. (28 marks) Find the solution of the three-dimensional Laplace equation

uxx + uyy + uzz = 0 0 < x < 1 ,0 < y < 1 ,0 < z < 1
with the boundary conditions
u(x, y, 1) = x , u(1, y, z) = z , u(x, y, 0) = u(0, y, z) = u(x, 0, z) = u(x, 1, z) = 0

2. (28 marks) Solve the Laplace equation

1 1
(rur )r + 2 u = 0
r r
inside a semicircle of radius a (0 < r < a, 0 < < ) subject to the boundary conditions
u(r, 0) = u(r, ) = 0 , 0<r<a
u(0, ) = 0 , 0<<
1
u(a, ) = sin + sin(4) , 0<<
2

3. (28 marks) Given that an electric potential V in spherical coordinates is independent of , i.e.,
V = V (r, ) and V (r, ) satisfies the following equations
1
(r2 Vr )r + (sin V ) = 0, a<r<, 0
sin
V (a, ) = 0
lim V (r, ) = Cr cos
r

where a > 0 and C = 0 are real constants. Find V (r, ).

The Legendre polynomials Pn (x) for n = 0, 1, 2, 3 are:

P0 (x) = 1, P1 (x) = x, P2 (x) = (3x2 1)/2, P3 (x) = (5x3 3x)/2, |x| 1

1 2 1
4. (16 marks) Let A = 0 3 1 .
0 5 1
(a) Find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of A.
(b) Is A diagonalizable? If yes, find a matrix C and a diagonal matrix D such that A = CDC1 .
 2

5. (Optional) Consider Laplaces equation in spherical coordinates:

1 2 1 1
2
(r ur )r + 2 (sin u ) + 2 2 u = 0
r r sin r sin
Let u(r, , ) = R(r)()().
(a) Show that
[r2 R (r)] R(r) = 0 (1)
1
[sin ()] + () () = 0 (2)
sin sin2
() + () = 0 (3)
where and are constants.
(b) Let x = cos and () = y(x) show that (2) can be rewritten as
[ ]
2
(1 x )y 2xy + y=0 (4)
1 x2

(c) Show that

= m2

where m is an integer in order for u to be a physically acceptable solution.

[Note: Physical solutions of (4) exist for = n(n + 1), n = 0, 1, 2, . . .. For m = 0, they are
given by the Legendre polynomials Pn (x), as discussed in class. For m 0, they are given by
dm Pn (x)
the associated Legendre polynomials Pnm (x) = (1 x2 )m/2 .]
dxm