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Macroscopic Systems of Unbound Charges

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Electrodynamics: The Field-Free Approach

Part of the book series: Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics ((ULNP))

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Abstract

The interaction between macroscopic objects consisting of free electric charges is examined. The computational method is introduced using specific examples, gradually increasing in complexity. The method is based on the principle that the total force between two systems can be obtained by summing up the mutual interactions between its constituents. In practice, this summation becomes an integration where the microscopic constituents are represented by infinitesimal elements. In case of homogeneous systems, the calculation is simplified using the concepts of capacitance and inductance. Methods for obtaining these quantities are introduced. The Maxwell formula for self and mutual inductance of systems of circular loops is derived and applied.

God does not care about our mathematical difficulties. He integrates empirically.

Albert Einstein, 1942

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See e.g. Abramowitz’ and Stegun’s book available on the www.

Further Readings

  • M. Bueno, A.T.K. Assis, Inductance and Force Calculation in Electric Circuits (Nova Biomedical, New York, 2001)

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  • F. Grover, Inductance Calculations (Dover, New York, 2009)

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  • J.C. Maxwell, A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1873)

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  • P. Moon, D. Spencer, A new electrodynamics. J. Frankl. Inst. 257, 369 (1954)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden

    Kjell Prytz

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  1. Kjell Prytz
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Correspondence to Kjell Prytz .

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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Prytz, K. (2015). Macroscopic Systems of Unbound Charges. In: Electrodynamics: The Field-Free Approach. Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13171-9_4

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