Related papers: Ascendancy of potentials over fields in electrodyn…
It is shown that electromagnetic potentials convey physical information beyond that supplied by electric and magnetic fields alone, and are thus more fundamental. Observable physical properties can impose conditions on the selection of…
Gauge invariance, a core principle in electrodynamics, has two separate meanings. One concept treats the photon as the gauge particle for electrodynamics. It is based on symmetries of the Lagrangian, and requires no mention of electric or…
Conservation principles establish the primacy of potentials over fields in electrodynamics, both classical and quantum. The contrary conclusion that fields are primary is based on the Newtonian concept that forces completely determine…
In this comment it is argued that the argument for a unique determination of the electromagnetic potentials in classical electrodynamics in [1] is flawed. To the contrary the "gauge freedom" of the electromagnetic potentials has proven as…
In quantum field theory the concept of a Lagrangian interaction density, expressed in terms of fields, is primary. Forces between two particles are regarded as arising primarily from the exchange of quanta of the bosonic fields. Thus, in…
The basic physics disciplines of Maxwell's electrodynamics and Newton's mechanics have been thoroughly tested in the laboratory, but they can nevertheless also support nonphysical solutions. The unphysical nature of some dynamical…
Modern undergraduate textbooks in electricity and magnetism typically focus on a force representation of electrodynamics with an emphasis on Maxwell's Equations and the Lorentz Force Law. The vector potential $\mathbf{A}$ and scalar…
The structure of classical electrodynamics based on the variational principle together with causality and space-time homogeneity is analyzed. It is proved that in this case the 4-potentials are defined uniquely. On the other hand, the…
Preceding Comment challenged my claim that potentials might be just auxiliary mathematical tools and that they are not necessary for explaining physical phenomena. The Comment did not confront my explanation without potentials of the…
I address the view that the classical electromagnetic potentials are shown by the Aharonov-Bohm effect to be physically real (which I dub: 'the potentials view'). I give a historico-philosophical presentation of this view and assess its…
The potential concept that is successful in classical electrodynamics should also be applicable to the nonlinear electromagnetic forces acting on matter. The obvious method of determining these potentials should be provided by Helmholtz's…
There is a consensus today that the the main lesson of the Aharonov-Bohm effect is that a picture of electromagnetism based on the local action of the field strengths is not possible in quantum mechanics. Contrary to this statement it is…
In electrostatics, we can use either potential energy or field energy to ensure conservation of energy. In electrodynamics, the former option is unavailable. To ensure conservation of energy, we must attribute energy to the electromagnetic…
There is debate as to whether quantum field theory is, at bottom, a quantum theory of fields or particles. One can take a field approach to the theory, using wave functionals over field configurations, or a particle approach, using wave…
Although the expressions for energy densities involving electric and magnetic fields are exactly analogous, the connections to forces and electromagnetic potentials are vastly different. For electrostatic situations, the changes in the…
The structure of classical electrodynamics based on the variational principle together with causality and space-time homogeneity is analyzed. It is proved that in this case the 4-potentials are defined uniquely. On the other hand, the…
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…
The gauge invariance of the Aharonov-Bohm (AB) effect with a quantum treatment for the electromagnetic field is demonstrated. We provide an exact solution for the electromagnetic ground energy due to the interaction of the quantum…
Gauge theory, which is the basis of all particle physics, is itself based on a few fundamental concepts, the consequences of which are often as beautiful as they are deep. In this short lecture course I shall try to give an introduction to…
In an exact quantum-mechanical framework, we show that expectation values of the second-quantized electro-magnetic fields in the Coulomb gauge, and in the presence of classical sources, automatically lead to causal and retarded…