Impossible electric fields examples?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around the concept of impossible electric fields, specifically those that violate the principle of a zero line integral around a closed loop. Examples include circular electric fields, and participants explore the idea of visualizing more complex 3D examples. There is a clarification that while all magnetic fields may appear as impossible electric fields visually, they adhere to boundary relations. The conversation also touches on the distinction between stationary and accelerating charges, noting that only stationary charges yield conservative electric fields. Lastly, the use of computer simulations to visualize these concepts is suggested as a practical approach.
mishima
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I was trying to think of more impossible electric fields than my book has. I understand it is anything that breaks the rule that the path integral is zero. One example is a circular field. I was trying to picture some more complicated 3d examples.

Are all magnetic fields an impossible electric field? I just mean visually, in appearance.
 
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You can have any kind of electric field so long as they obey the boundary relations.
"Path integral" (The correct term is line integral, a path integral is something we use in quantum mechanics) being zero around a loop is only true for an electric field generated by stationary charges, in general accelerating charges will generate non conservative electric fields.
 
Thanks, and yes I was trying to say something like "closed path line integral" I think.

So, I could use a computer simulation that generates magnetic fields and moving charges to "see" some impossible electric fields?

Such as the 3d magnetostatics one here: http://www.falstad.com/mathphysics.html ?
 
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