Application of the binomial series: In what point was the Taylor series developed and how?

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Let $|\vec{r}| \gg\left|\vec{r^{\prime}}\right|$ and $x:=\frac{\vec{r}^{2}-2 \vec{r^{2}} \cdot \vec{r^{\prime}}}{\vec{r}^{2}} $ be a small number.

$$\frac{1}{\left|\vec{r}-\vec{r^{\prime}}\right|}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{\vec{r}^{2}+{\vec{r^{\prime}}}^{2}-2 \vec{r} \cdot \vec{r^{\prime}}}}=\frac{1}{|\vec{r}| \sqrt{1+\frac{{\vec{r^{\prime}}}^{2}-2 \vec{r} \cdot \vec{r^{\prime}}}{\vec{r}^{2}}} }=\frac{1}{|\vec{r}| \sqrt{1+x} } $$

With the binomial Series:

$$ \frac{1}{\sqrt{1+x}}=(1+x)^{-\frac{1}{2}}=1-\frac{1}{2} x+\frac{3}{8} x^{2}-\ldots$$

we get in first order:

$$ \frac{1}{\left|\vec{r}-\vec{r^{\prime}}\right|}=\frac{1}{|\vec{r}|}+\frac{\vec{r} \cdot \vec{r^{\prime}}}{|\vec{r}|^{3}} $$

I don't understand the last step. We use the Taylor series of the binomial equation, but at what point? Can someone explain the last step in more detail?

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It seems like you're happy with the equality:

$$ \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} - \vec{r'} \rVert} = \frac{1}{ \lVert \vec{r} \rVert \sqrt{1+x}} $$

where $x = \frac{\vec{r'}^2 - 2 \vec{r} \cdot \vec{r'}}{\vec{r}^2}$ (notice there's a typo in the first line of your question, but during the manipulation in your second line you correct it).

Using the fact that $$\frac{1}{\sqrt{1+x}} = (1+x)^{-1/2} = 1 - \frac{1}{2} x + \frac{3}{8} x^2 + \ldots$$

we see (keeping only first order terms)

$$ \frac{1}{ \lVert \vec{r} \rVert} \frac{1}{\sqrt{1+x}} = \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert} \left ( 1 - \frac{1}{2} x + O(x^2) \right ) \approx \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert} - \frac{1}{2} \frac{x}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert} $$

Now substituting our definition for $x$ back in, we see this is all equal to

$$ \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert} - \frac{1}{2} \frac{\vec{r'}^2 - 2 \vec{r} \cdot \vec{r'}}{\vec{r}^2 \lVert \vec{r} \rVert} $$

Remembering that $\vec{r}^2 = \vec{r} \cdot \vec{r} = \lVert \vec{r} \lVert^2$, this becomes

$$ \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert} - \frac{1}{2} \left ( \frac{\lVert \vec{r'} \rVert^2}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert^3} + \frac{-2 \vec{r} \cdot \vec{r'}}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert^3} \right ) $$

But since $\lVert r' \rVert \ll \lVert r \rVert$, the $\frac{\lVert \vec{r'} \rVert^2}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert^3}$ term is small (so isn't seen in the first order terms), ignoring it we're left with

$$ \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert} - \frac{1}{2} \frac{-2 \vec{r} \cdot \vec{r'}}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert^3} = \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert} + \frac{\vec{r} \cdot \vec{r'}}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert^3} $$

Comparing with where we started, we see (to first order)

$$ \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} - \vec{r'} \rVert} \approx \frac{1}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert} + \frac{\vec{r} \cdot \vec{r'}}{\lVert \vec{r} \rVert^3} $$

as claimed.


I hope this helps ^_^