Magnetic Monopole (Magnetic Charge)

In summary, the conversation discusses the production of electric and magnetic fields by electric charges and current elements. It is mentioned that magnetic charges are inserted to make Maxwell's equations symmetric, and that a magnetic charge can produce a Coulomb magnetic field. The topic of magnetic monopoles is brought up, and it is suggested that there should also be an electric current element that produces a Biot-Savart electric field if magnetic monopoles are allowed. The speaker is looking for an introduction to this subject and suggests that a textbook by Arthur Kip may be helpful.
  • #1
Harrisonized
208
0
An electric charge produces a Coulomb electric field:
E = dqe r/r3

A current element produces a Biot-Savart magnetic field
B = i dl×r /r3

From what I understand, magnetic charges are inserted for the sake of making Maxwell's equations symmetric.

A magnetic charge is meant to produce a Coulomb magnetic field:
B = dqm r /r3

So if magnetic monopoles are allowed, shouldn't there also be an analogous version of the electric current element that produces a Biot-Savart electric field?

E = ie dl×r /r3

What would such a thing be called? Where would I find information about these kinds of objects?
 
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  • #2
Harrisonized said:
So if magnetic monopoles are allowed, shouldn't there also be an analogous version of the electric current element that produces a Biot-Savart electric field?

Yes.

What would such a thing be called? Where would I find information about these kinds of objects?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_monopole#Maxwell.27s_equations
 
  • #3
I saw that before I made this thread. That's not quite as much information as I'd hoped.

I was hoping for sort of like an introduction on the subject. For example, the first textbook I ever learned E/M out of is by Arthur Kip. Each chapter is organized in two parts. First, they present a law (for example, Coulomb's law). Then, they provide examples (for example, they'll give sample distributions and then show the resulting electric field using Coulomb's law). There are also some nice visualizations.

That kind of information.
 

1. What is a magnetic monopole?

A magnetic monopole is a hypothetical particle that has a single magnetic pole, either north or south, unlike a regular magnet which always has both poles. This means that it would have a net magnetic charge, similar to an electric charge.

2. Do magnetic monopoles exist?

As of now, there is no conclusive evidence for the existence of magnetic monopoles. While they have been theorized and predicted by some theories, such as Grand Unified Theories, they have not been observed in experiments yet.

3. How are magnetic monopoles different from regular magnets?

Regular magnets have two magnetic poles, north and south, while magnetic monopoles are hypothesized to have only one. Also, regular magnets have a magnetic dipole moment, while magnetic monopoles would have a magnetic charge.

4. What would be the implications if magnetic monopoles were discovered?

If magnetic monopoles were to be discovered, it would have significant implications for our understanding of electromagnetism and potentially lead to a unification of the fundamental forces of nature. It could also have practical applications in technology and energy production.

5. How are scientists searching for magnetic monopoles?

Scientists are using a variety of methods to search for magnetic monopoles, including analyzing data from particle accelerators, studying cosmic rays, and conducting experiments with superconducting materials. However, no definitive evidence has been found yet.

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