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Throughout the semester, problems will be assigned from the webcast archive, which is
based on Ohanian, Physics, Second Edition (Norton, 1989) and my own notes; and from
Purcell and Morin, our textbook.
The webcast archive problems have nearly full solutions presented online. There are two
types of assignment in Purcell and Morin: Problems, which have complete solutions in
Chapter 12; and Exercises, for which I will provide answers, but not solutions, in advance.
It is a good idea to work as much as possible without referring to the webcasts or the
Problem solutions. Just ask for help whenever you get stuck, particularly on the Exercises.
22/21, 23/18, Supplemental Problems A and B (written out on the next two pages)
Purcell/Morin Assignment
Exercises 1.37, 1.42, 1.44 (no need to write a program), 1.46 (pp. 48-49).
1 e2
1.42. ln 2.
40 a
1.44. W is positive, i.e., it requires energy to remove one ion to innity.
1 e2
For the 7 7 array, W for the central charge is 1.415 .
40 s
1 3/2
1.46. If the rst two charges are each q and the third Q, then Q/q = 2 1 +
2
= 3.154.
Supplemental Problem A. Expand the function
1 cos x
f (x) =
x
in a Taylor series about the point x = 0. (Hint: Expand the numerator rst.)
x x3 x5
Ans: +
2! 4! 6!
Supplemental Problem B. (a) Work out the rst three terms in the Taylor series ex-
pansion of the function
1
F (r) =
|r|
(Note |r| = x2 + y 2 + z 2 , and write r = R
about the point r = R. + r.)
I suggest you do NOT use the webcast video for this problem. The approach used in the
video is a vector Taylor series. Instead imitate the method we used to solve for the dipole
force eld in class.
(b) Suppose
= 5
R x + 2
y
r = 5.1
x + 1.8
y + 0.3
z.
and r to ve signicant gures, and
Evaluate your expansion of F for this choice of R
compare to the exact value of F at r.
1
r R 2 (r)2
1 3(r R)
Ans: + .
R R2 2 R3
The exact value is 0.18462 to 5 sig gs. The approximate value from the expansion is
0.18461.