Classic Electrodynamics
Proposed Exercises 2023/2024, Técnico Lisboa
Prof. Rogério Jorge, Zakary Buras-Stubbs & Tiago Jorge
Week 1 - September 11 to 17
Revision of mathematical techniques, electrostatics, magnetostatics, Maxwell’s equations,
electromagnetic potentials, conservation laws.
! ! important
* ! challenging
Extra exercises - Mathematics
Vector Calculus
Problem 1. Obtain the expressions for r · r, r ⇥ r, r(l · r) and (l · r)r in Cartesian,
spherical and cylindrical coordinates where r is the position vector and l a constant vector.
Problem 2. Choose two from the following identities and prove them
Scalar-Vector Interactions
r(ab) = arb + bra
r · (aA) = ar · A + (A · r)a
r ⇥ (aA) = ar ⇥ A [A ⇥ r]a
Vector-Vector Interactions
r · [A ⇥ B] = (B · r ⇥ A) (A · r ⇥ B)
r ⇥ [A ⇥ B] = Ar · B Br · A + B(r · V)A (A · r)B
r(A · B) = A[r ⇥ B] + B[r ⇥ A] + B(r · V)A + A(r · V)B
(r · A)B = (A · r)B + Br · A
r2 A = r ⇥ (r ⇥ A) + r(r · A)
Triple Vector Interactions
(C · r)(A · B) = (A · (C · r)B) + (B · (C · r)A)
(C · r)[A ⇥ B] = [A ⇥ (C · r)B] [B ⇥ (C · r)A]
(CAB · r ⇥ C) = (B · (A · r)C) (A · (B · r)C)
[A ⇥ r ⇥ B] = (A · r)B + [A ⇥ r ⇥ B] Ar · B
[r ⇥ A ⇥ B] = Ar · B (A · r)B [A ⇥ r ⇥ B] [B ⇥ r ⇥ A]
Hint: Use the r operator and the differentiation and multiplication rules for vectors and
not the components along the coordinate axes.
1
Problem 3. Evaluate the closed surface integral integral i = r(a · n)dS where r is the
¸
position vector, a is a constant vector and n is the vector normal to the surface.
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Tensor Calculus - not mandatory, only to crystalize some of the ideas of tensor calculus
Problem 4. Use the Einstein summation convention to write the formulas c11 x1 + c12 x2 =
2, c21 x1 + c22 x2 = 3 in a more compact form. What are the free and dummy indices?
Problem 5. If aij are constants, calculate the partial derivative @/@xk (aij xi xj ). Hint:
@xi /@xj = ij with ij = 1 if i = j and 0 otherwise .
Problem 6. Calculate the metric coefficients gij in a coordinate system in R2 defined by
x0i = aij xj with the matrix A of the transformation x0 = Ax having components a11 = a22 =
1, a12 = 0 and a21 = 2. Hint: The metric coefficients are defined
p as the matrix G in the
distance formula between two points x and y: d = |x y| = (x y)T · (x y).
Problem 7. A curvilinear coordinate system (x0 , y 0 ) is defined in terms of the cartesian
coordinates as x0 = x2 xy, y 0 = xy. Show that the line y = x 1 is given in the new
coordinate system by the parabola y = x2 x.
Problem 8. Find the cosine of the angle ✓ between two directions n and n0 defined in a
spherical coordinate system by the angles #, and #0 , 0 , respectively.
Problem 9. Show that @ai /@xk is a tensor of rank 2 with ai the covariant components of a
vector and xk the components of a coordinate system x
Problem 10. Show that the sum of the diagonal components of a tensor of rank 2 is an
invariant quantity, that is, it doesn’t depend on the coordinate system.
Problem 11. Find the transformation matrices @x0i /@xj , i.e., the Jacobian matrix J, and
the metric tensor for:
11.a) The transformation between Cartesian coordinates to spherical coordinates
11.b) The transformation between spherical coordinates to Cartesian coordinates
Problem 12. Show that if two vectors are parallel in one coordinate system, they are
parallel in any other coordinate system. Tha is, if the corresponding components of two
vectors in one system are proportional to each other, then they are also proportional in any
other system.
Problem 13. Show that
13.a) The only vector whose components are identical in all systems of coordinates is the
zero vector.
13.b) Any tensor of rank 2 whose components are identical in al systems of coordinates is
proportional to ki .
Problem 14. Prove the Gauss theorem @Tij /@xi dV = Tij ni dS for a three-dimensional
´ ¸
tensor of rank 2. Hint: Start with the Gauss theorem for a vector Ai = Tik ak where a is an
arbitrary constant vector.