Problem Set 2

ENGR 6133 Engineering Electrodynamics

College of Engineering
Arkansas State University
Due: September 30, 2015

1. Suppose you want to prove that a certain electromagnetic force density predicts the correct
center-of-mass displacement of materials or kinetic force. You consider Balazs thought experiment
of a finite plane wave pulse normally incident upon a slab of thickness d (see Figure 3 of the
course notes Macroscopic Theory of Optical Momentum). Restrict your analysis to the force den-
sities listed in Table 1 of the course notes (i.e. the Minkowski, Chu, Einstein-Laub, Abraham, and
Amperian force densities). Group the force densities by which ones give identical predictions for
the total displacement of the slab under the following conditions. [Ref. B. A. Kemp, Comment
on Revisiting the Balazs thought experiment in the presence of loss: electromagnetic-pulse-induced
displacement of a positive-index slab having arbitrary complex permittivity and permeability,
Appl. Phys. A (2013).]
a. A nonmagnetic slab with (0 , ).
b. A magnetodielectric slab with (, ).

2 We have proofs regarding the equivalence of total electromagnetic forces such as time-averaging
under time-harmonic conditions. We may also consider the relations between time-average force
density or distribution under time-harmonic excitation. [Ref. B. A. Kemp, Comment on Revisiting
the Balazs thought experiment in the presence of loss: electromagnetic-pulse-induced displacement
of a positive-index slab having arbitrary complex permittivity and permeability, Appl. Phys. A
(2013).]

It is a serious error to infer a time-domain quantity from a time-average quantity. However, we are
often only concerned with the time-average force on a material object, and the average force may
be written in a variety of ways. For example, consider the two force densities
 
1
< f1 > = = < i P 0 H + i0 M 0 E
2
 
1
< f2 > = = < i P B + i0 M D .
2

Show that < f1 >=< f2 >.

3. Two charged plates are dipped vertically into water. The plates have a insulating film on
the surface so that they do not conduct to the water. The voltage difference between the plates Vs
is held constant by a voltage source. One plate is at x = 0 and the other is at x = d. The plates
are very long in the y direction so we just consider it to be infinite (.e. a 1-D problem). The water
is non-magnetic so its constitutive parameters are (, 0 ), and the region above the water is air
(0 , 0 ). The plates extend a considerable distance both above and below the water-air interface

1
so that the electric field near the interface is considered to be uniform in the x-direction. Draw a
diagram of the problem.
a. Calculate the electric field in the air region at z = 0+ .
b. Calculate the electric field in the water region at z = 0 .
c. Use the Minkowski stress tensor to calculate the pressure on the water surface.
d. Check your calculation by applying the Minkowski force density to the surface. Note, only the
Helmholtz force term 21 |E|2  will contribute.
e. Your force from (c) and (d) should be in the + z direction. The water will rise to some height
h above the original level. Determine this level h in terms of the parameters given and the mass
density of water m by balancing the electrostatic force with the pressure due to gravity on a column
of water (i.e. fg = mgh, where g is the acceleration due to gravity.)

4. Consider an electromagnetic wave E i = x ek0 z incident upon a dielectric half-space. Vacuum

(0 , 0 ) occupies the region z < 0 and dielectric (, 0 ) occupies the region z > 0. [Ref. B. A.
Kemp, T. M. Grzegorczyk, and J. A. Kong, Ab initio study of the radiation pressure on dielectric
and magnetic media, Opt. Express (2005).]
a. Determine the incident magnetic field H i in terms of the parameters given.
b. A reflected wave E r = x
Re k 0 z and a transmitted wave E t = x
T ekz are generated to satisfy
the boundary conditions. Determine the associated magnetic fields.
c. Solve for the reflection coefficient R and transmission coefficient T using the boundary condi-
tions.
d. Apply the Chu stress tensor to the boundary at z = 0 to determine the Chu pressure. What
is the direction, + z or z?
e. Apply the Minkowski stress tensor to the boundary at z = 0 to determine the Minkowski
pressure. What is the direction, + z or z?
f. Can you explain the difference?