Maxwell and his equations essay - should i include aether theory heavily?

In summary, the speaker is writing an essay about Maxwell and his equations, focusing on his electrodynamic theory and his involvement in aether theory. They are unsure if discussing aether theory is relevant, but feel it is a nice way to conclude Maxwell's story. The essay is 2000 words long and will be split between discussing the two theories, with a focus on how aether theory became obsolete with the advent of relativity. Despite some doubts, the speaker believes including both theories is important for the essay to be comprehensive and presentable.
  • #1
roberto85
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Homework Statement



Im writing an essay titled Maxwell and his equations. I want to talk about his electrodynamic theory and how his equations showed that light is an electromagnetic wave. I then want to include his involvement in aether theory since he had devised a theory to explain magnetism with an aether concept. But, the problem is I'm not sure if this seems like an obvious choice to discuss this concept since i would like to discuss the Michelson morely experiment and go on to talk about lorentz invaraince and how it was showed that aether theory's did not match experimental results.

The essay is 2000 words long and i want to spend half the essay on maxwells electrodynamic theory and the second half on maxwells aether theory but predominantly how the aether was shown to be unlikely to exist and then with the advent of relativity, how it became unneccesary. I do think it will be a nice way to conclude Maxwell's story since it has a firm conclusion but i also do feel like I am just indulging my own curiosity in aether theory and am worried that the markers might question the relavence of the aether theory portion of the essay.

Also, i feel a bit odd by concentrating on this aspect in an essay about Maxwell since his aether theory essentially became obsolete after M-M experiment. Ugh, i need opinions please!

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
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  • #2
I think you should include his theory and even his history in order for your essay to be presentable. And you don't know later on your essay will be consider as the most academic essay around the world!
 
  • #3
I can't really say what you should or should not include. I'd say to actually make a essay plan of all the things you want to cover, and work out how to include all of those things. That way you won't run over the word limit, or devote too much of the essay to one part or another. :smile:
 

1. What are Maxwell's equations?

Maxwell's equations are a set of four equations that describe the relationships between electric and magnetic fields, as well as how these fields interact with charged particles. They were developed by James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century and are considered to be one of the most important contributions to the field of electromagnetism.

2. How does aether theory relate to Maxwell's equations?

Aether theory was a popular concept in the 19th century that proposed the existence of a medium, called the "aether," through which electromagnetic waves traveled. Maxwell's equations were originally developed with the assumption of the existence of this aether. However, later experiments and theories, such as special relativity, disproved the existence of aether, and the equations were modified accordingly.

3. Should aether theory be heavily included in an essay about Maxwell's equations?

It depends on the focus and purpose of the essay. If the essay is specifically about the history of Maxwell's equations and their development, then aether theory could be a relevant and important topic to discuss. However, if the essay is more focused on the modern understanding and applications of the equations, then aether theory may not be as relevant.

4. What are some criticisms of aether theory?

One major criticism of aether theory is that it could not explain the results of the Michelson-Morley experiment, which aimed to detect the movement of the Earth through the aether. Additionally, the concept of aether was abandoned with the development of theories such as special relativity, which provided a more comprehensive explanation of electromagnetic phenomena.

5. How have Maxwell's equations been modified without the use of aether theory?

After the rejection of aether theory, Maxwell's equations were modified to incorporate the concept of relativity. This led to the development of the theory of electromagnetic fields, which describes the behavior of electric and magnetic fields without the need for aether. This theory is still used today and has been confirmed by numerous experiments and applications.

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