Related papers: Electromagnetic Force and Momentum
This article was published as Sec.5 of the "Roadmap on Structured Light" in Journal of Optics 19 (2017) 013001. Section 5 describes the essential elements of the classical theory of electromagnetic angular momentum.
Invoking Maxwell's classical equations in conjunction with expressions for the electromagnetic (EM) energy, momentum, force, and torque, we use a few simple examples to demonstrate the nature of the EM angular momentum. The energy and the…
The origin of electromagnetic momentum for general static charge-current distributions is examined. The electromagnetic momentum for static electromagnetic fields is derived by implementing conservation of momentum for the sum of mechanical…
If potential energy is the timelike component of a four-vector, then there must be a corresponding spacelike part which would logically be called the potential momentum. The potential four-momentum consisting of the potential momentum and…
By describing the dynamical evolution of a test charged particle in the presence of an electromagnetic field as a succession of infinitesimal Lorentz boosts and rotations it is possible to obtain the Lorentz Force of Electrodynamics. A…
The axiomatic structure of the electromagnetic theory is outlined. We will base classical electrodynamics on (1) electric charge conservation, (2) the Lorentz force, (3) magnetic flux conservation, and (4) on the Maxwell-Lorentz spacetime…
The present technical notes offer a brief summary of the essential points of electromagnetism at the undergraduate physics level. Some problems are presented at the end of each section; those with solutions are marked with an asterisk.
The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to Electromagnetic Theory. The foundations of electrodynamics starting from the nature of electrical force up to the level of Maxwell equations solutions are presented. It starts with…
The classical theory of electromagnetism is based on Maxwell's macroscopic equations, an energy postulate, a momentum postulate, and a generalized form of the Lorentz law of force. These seven postulates constitute the foundation of a…
The fallacies associated with the gauge concept in electromagnetism are illustrated. A clearer and more valid formulation of the basics of classical electromagnetism is provided by recognizing existing physical constraints as well as the…
A decomposition of the angular momentum of the classical electromagnetic field into orbital and spin components that is manifestly gauge invariant and general has been obtained. This is done by decomposing the electric field into its…
The version of electrodynamics is constructed in which faster-than-light motions of fields and particles with real masses are possible. Transformational properties of 3-velocity, momentum, energy and electromagnetic field are presented in…
Using the Lagrangian formalism, the electromagnetic force on a moving dipole derived by Kholmetskii, Missevitch and Yarman (2011, Eur. J. Phys. 32, 873) is found to be missing some important terms.
The Lorentz force law of classical electrodynamics requires the introduction of hidden energy and hidden momentum in situations where an electric field acts on a magnetic material. In contrast, the Einstein-Laub formulation does not invoke…
We will display the fundamental structure of classical electrodynamics. Starting from the axioms of (1) electric charge conservation, (2) the existence of a Lorentz force density, and (3) magnetic flux conservation, we will derive Maxwell's…
Maxwell's macroscopic equations combined with a generalized form of the Lorentz law of force are a complete and consistent set of equations. Not only are these five equations fully compatible with special relativity, they also conform with…
The concept of electromotive force (emf) may be introduced in various ways in an undergraduate course of theoretical electromagnetism. The multitude of alternate expressions for the emf is often the source of confusion to the student. We…
A description of electromagnetism as four-dimensional spacetime structure leads to the dynamics of a charged particle being determined only by the four-vector potential and the existence of an electromagnetic field depending on the…
By means of the Helmholtz theorem on the decomposition of vector fields, the angular momentum of the classical electromagnetic field is decomposed, in a general and manifestly gauge invariant manner, into a spin component and an orbital…
A hydrodynamic-type, macroscopic theory was set up recently to simultaneously account for dissipation and dispersion of electromagnetic field, in nonstationary condensed systems of nonlinear constitutive relations~\cite{JL}. Since it was…