Re: [Phys-l] (no subject)

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@hep.anl.gov>]

This doesn't look too tractable for an elementary problem.  Are you sure 
that the problem doesn't ask for the field at the point (0,P), which is 
much easier if the line charge goes from (-L,0) to (L,0), as in your final 
question.
			Regards,
				Jack


On Tue, 27 Feb 2007, pschoch@nac.net wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> I am trying to solve a problem asked of me by the class, and am
> having a bit of trouble...
>
> I solved the E field problem of a finite line of charge on the x axis
> from -L to 0, at a point (0,P).
>
> One young man took an example from the textbook, tried to combine it with
> my example, and got a solution that makes no sense and asked if I could do
> it.
>
> After trying, I also get something that doesn't seem right, and I need a
> bit of help doing this with only freshman techniques.  The problem is:
>
> You have a line of charge from (-L,0) to (L,0), and a point at
> (-L,P).  Evaluate the E field at the point (L,P).
>
> When I try to do this by Freshman physics methods and evaluate the
> line integral to get the x and y components from the line of charge I get
> the x component to cancel out (because of the integration from -L to +L).
> Now, this can't be correct, but I don't see my error.
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
> P. Schoch
>
>
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