Talk:A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field

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Here are web links that give the complete paper in question,

http://www.zpenergy.com/downloads/Maxwell_1864_1.pdf http://www.zpenergy.com/downloads/Maxwell_1864_2.pdf http://www.zpenergy.com/downloads/Maxwell_1864_3.pdf http://www.zpenergy.com/downloads/Maxwell_1864_4.pdf http://www.zpenergy.com/downloads/Maxwell_1864_5.pdf http://www.zpenergy.com/downloads/Maxwell_1864_6.pdf

These should be helpful for the purposes of discussing the paper 'A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field', by James Clerk-Maxwell 1864


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[edit] math translation

Correct errors and insert conversions, thanks; make a note below equation if this is done. JDR 05:56, 24 September 2005 (UTC) [PS., math hates me]

  • \nabla \times \mathbf{H} = \mu_0 \mathbf{J}_{tot}

The curl of the "magnetic intensity" equals the permeability of total current (including displacement current).

  • \mathbf{J}_{tot} = \mathbf{J} + \frac{\partial\mathbf{D}}{\partial t}

The total current (including displacement current) equals the electric current density plus the partial derivative of the "electric displacement" over the partial derivative of time.

  • \nabla \cdot \mathbf{D} = \rho

The divergence of the electric displacement field is equal to the electric charge density.

  • \mu \mathbf{H} = \nabla \times \mathbf{A}

the permeability of the magnetic field equals the curl of the electromagnetic momentum.

  • \mathbf{E} = \mu \mathbf{v} \times \mathbf{H} - \frac{\partial\mathbf{A}}{\partial t}-\nabla \phi
  • \mathbf{E} = \frac{1}{\epsilon} \mathbf{D}
  • \mathbf{E} = \frac{1}{\sigma} \mathbf{J}
  • \nabla \cdot \mathbf{J} = -\frac{\partial\rho}{\partial t}
notes
  • put in some vector operator names. JDR 04:20, 25 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Asking for a translation

Reddi, since you don't understand math, please don't propose "translations". Your translations are nonsensical. (Also, discussions of the consequences and interpretations of these equations can be found already in Maxwell's equations and elsewhere.) —Steven G. Johnson 18:17, 24 September 2005 (UTC)
My mathematical skills are not great ... but that is exactly why I have asked for a translation. (BTW, I do understand some math, but I am not a mathematician.)
I think one great mathemetician once said, "equations that can be translated into english are a good ones, Those that cannot be, are not ... Clifford mabey or someone else ...
Thanks for the direction to the article, though. JDR (PS., I'm not asking for a interpertation or consequences, I'm asking for the reading ot the equation. Such as, 1+1=2; one plus one equals two)

The link to the online version of the document is only available to subscribers.

[edit] no div B equation?

The list doesn't include div B = 0. Is that an error, or did Maxwell actually not include it in his paper?--75.83.140.254 17:02, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

Maxwell didn't include the div B = 0 equation in his list of eight in his 1864 paper. Neither did he include Faradays's law of electromagnetic induction. These two equations did however both appear in Maxwell's 1861 paper, and Heaviside included them in his four modified Maxwell's equations in 1884. It is also a point of interest that the Lorentz force was one of the original eight Maxwell's equations. It first appeared as equation (77) in Maxwell's 1861 paper, long before Lorentz produced it. (222.126.43.98 19:33, 15 February 2007 (UTC))

It's not an error. Maxwell didn't need to include it, because it is implied by the \mathbf{B} = \nabla \times \mathbf{A} equation. (The divergence of a curl is zero.) —Steven G. Johnson 21:28, 13 December 2006 (UTC)
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