A hollow cylindrical shell of radius a is centered on the z axis and carries a uniform surface
current density of Kaaφ.
a) Show that H is not a function of φ or z: Consider this situation as illustrated in Fig.
8.11. There (sec. 8.2) it was stated that the field will be entirely z-directed. We can see
this by applying Ampere’s circuital law to a closed loop path whose orientation we choose
such that current is enclosed by the path. The only way to enclose current is to set up
the loop (which we choose to be rectangular) such that it is oriented with two parallel
opposing segments lying in the z direction; one of these lies inside the cylinder, the other
outside. The other two parallel segments lie in the ρ direction. The loop is now cut by the
current sheet, and if we assume a length of the loop in z of d, then the enclosed current
will be given by Kd A. There will be no φ variation in the field because where we position
the loop around the circumference of the cylinder does not affect the result of Ampere’s
law. If we assume an infinite cylinder length, there will be no z dependence in the field,
since as we lengthen the loop in the z direction, the path length (over which the integral
is taken) increases, but then so does the enclosed current – by the same factor. Thus H
would not change with z. There would also be no change if the loop was simply moved
along the z direction