Paper 4, Section I, D

Electromagnetism
Part IB, 2013

The infinite plane z=0z=0 is earthed and the infinite plane z=dz=d carries a charge of σ\sigma per unit area. Find the electrostatic potential between the planes.

Show that the electrostatic energy per unit area (of the planes z=z= constant) between the planes can be written as either 12σ2d/ϵ0\frac{1}{2} \sigma^{2} d / \epsilon_{0} or 12ϵ0V2/d\frac{1}{2} \epsilon_{0} V^{2} / d, where VV is the potential at z=dz=d.

The distance between the planes is now increased by αd\alpha d, where α\alpha is small. Show that the change in the energy per unit area is 12σVα\frac{1}{2} \sigma V \alpha if the upper plane (z=d)(z=d) is electrically isolated, and is approximately 12σVα-\frac{1}{2} \sigma V \alpha if instead the potential on the upper plane is maintained at VV. Explain briefly how this difference can be accounted for.