B1.21

Electrodynamics
Part II, 2001

Explain the multipole expansion in electrostatics, and devise formulae for the total charge, dipole moments and quadrupole moments given by a static charge distribution ρ(r)\rho(\mathbf{r}).

A nucleus is modelled as a uniform distribution of charge inside the ellipsoid

x2a2+y2a2+z2c2=1\frac{x^{2}}{a^{2}}+\frac{y^{2}}{a^{2}}+\frac{z^{2}}{c^{2}}=1

The total charge of the nucleus is QQ. What are the dipole moments and quadrupole moments of this distribution?

Describe qualitatively what happens if the nucleus starts to oscillate.