Maxwells Equations

Remember: Gausss law

Gausss law relates the electric flux
through a closed surface to
the charge Qencl inside that surface.

r r Qencl
E dA 0
E

Is there a Gausss law in magnetism?

05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Gausss law for magnetism
But isolated magnetic poles (monopoles)
have never been detected. (If you break a
magnet you always get a N pole and S
pole)

Magnetic field lines are continuous and form closed

loops. They do not begin and end at any point.
We cannot relate the flux through a closed surface to a
source term. Hence:
r r
B dA 0 (Gauss's law for magnetism)
B
05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Ampres law and displacement current
Consider the charging capacitor shown below.
For the path shown we can apply Ampres law and find:
r r
B d 0 I encl 0 IC

d

IC - IC
+
+q -q

05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Ampres law and displacement current
Now consider a second surface that is also bounded by our path:

IC - IC
+
+q -q

Now, no current pierces the surface defined by the path for

evaluating Ampres law. Hence:
r r
B d 0 I encl 0
???
How can we reconcile this apparent contradiction?
05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Displacement current
d The instantaneous charge on the
d capacitor plates is q=CV where
E V is the instantaneous potential
difference across the plates.
IC - IC
+
+q -q A
C 0 and V Ed
d
A
So q C V 0 Ed 0 EA 0 E
d
We define the term on
dq dE dE
IC 0 the right to be the ID 0
dt dt displacement current dt
05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Ampres law and displacement current
dE
d ID 0
d dt
E The changing electric flux through
IC - IC the curved surface is equivalent,
+
in Ampres law, to the current IC
+Q -Q
through the flat surface:
r r dE
B d 0 IC I D encl 0 I encl 0 0 dt

Magnetic fields are produced by both conduction
currents and time varying electric fields.
This is how James Clerk Maxwell (1831 1879)
fixed Ampres law
05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Maxwells
equations

r r Qencl
E dA 0
(Gauss's law)
James Clerk Maxwell
r r
B dA 0 (Gauss's law for magnetism)
(1831 1879)

r r dB

E d
dt
(Faraday's law)

r r dE

B d 0 I
0 0
dt
(Ampere-Maxwell law)

05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Maxwells equations
r r Qencl
E dA 0
(Gauss's law)

Relates the electric flux to the charge distribution that

creates it.

r r
B dA 0
(Gauss's law for magnetism)
The total magnetic flux through any closed surface equals
zero. The magnetic field cannot begin or end at any point
(no isolated magnetic monopoles).

05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Maxwells equations
r r dB

E d
dt
(Faraday's law)

Describes the creation of an electric field by a changing

magnetic flux.

r r dE
B d 0 I 0 0 dt
(Ampere-Maxwell law)

Describes the creation of a magnetic field by a changing

electric flux, and by electric currents.

05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Maxwells equations in vacuum
In empty space: Qencl = 0, I = 0 so
r r Qencl r r
E dA 0

E dA 0

r r r r
B dA 0 B dA 0

r r dB r r dB (vacuum)

E d
dt
E d
dt
r r dE r r dE

B d 0 I
0 0
dt
B d
0 0
dt

Note the symmetry in these equations. The existence of

magnetic monopoles would bring the same symmetry to the
red equations.
05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009
 Maxwells equations
r r Qencl r r dB
E dA 0

E d
dt
r r r r dE
B dA 0
B d 0 I
0 0
dt

Once the electric and magnetic fields are known at some point in
space, the force acting on a particle of charge q can be obtained
from the Lorentz force: r r r r

F q E v B
Maxwells equations, together with the Lorentz force law
completely describe all classical electromagnetic interactions.

05/15/17
Electromagnetic Theory Spring 2009