What is Classical electrodynamics: Definition and 42 Discussions

Classical electromagnetism or classical electrodynamics is a branch of theoretical physics that studies the interactions between electric charges and currents using an extension of the classical Newtonian model. The theory provides a description of electromagnetic phenomena whenever the relevant length scales and field strengths are large enough that quantum mechanical effects are negligible. For small distances and low field strengths, such interactions are better described by quantum electrodynamics.
Fundamental physical aspects of classical electrodynamics are presented in many texts, such as those by Feynman, Leighton and Sands, Griffiths, Panofsky and Phillips, and Jackson.

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  1. G

    I Problems in classical electrodynamics: Only for point-like particles?

    Hi. I was surprised when I first read that there's quite a couple of unsolved problems in classical electrodynamics, such as the Abraham–Lorentz force. I have a couple of questions about that: Do those difficulties only appear for exact point-like particles? Do they all vanish with continuous...
  2. cemtu

    I How does the electrical field become bent instead of following a straight line?

    Why is electrical field bent like that rather than following a straight line across to the relevant point over there?
  3. jselms99

    Einstein's Electrodynamics of moving Bodies

    Okay I’m assuming I have to use √1- v^2/c^2 multiplied by some coefficient of length but I don’t understand any of this and could really use help understanding the process and/or reference material that might point me in the right direction
  4. H

    A Radiation back reaction in classical electrodynamics

    I've been doing some research on the topic of radiation reaction force/self force in classical electrodynamics and although there are some discussions on the internet I would like direct answers to these following questions: Is there a rigorous and universally accepted treatment of radiation...
  5. Pushoam

    I Conservation of charge in the Universe

    The charge of an isolated system is conserved. This implies the charge of the universe is constant. This implies that charge can neither be created nor destroyed. This implies that the net positive charge and the net negative charge of the universe are conserved. Is this right?
  6. A

    Electromagnetic linear momentum for a system of two moving charges

    When you write out the equations of motion for a system of two isolated charges, you can add both of the equations and get the increase in the particles linear momentum on one side. On the other side, you get the sum of all the forces between the particles. I understand that this sum of forces...
  7. T

    I Need Calculus Book Recommendations please

    Summary:: What calculus books do you recommend? Does Thomas Calculus include all the calculus topics? Hi! I'm a 10th grader and preparing for physics olympiads. I'm planning to learn calculus this summer, i self learned prior required topics before calculus (trigonometry, logarithm etc.) ...
  8. Istiak

    Calculating Energy From Charged Particles: 0.5869 J

    Generally, energy is ##U=9\times 10^{9} \times \frac{5\times 10^{-6}30\times 10^{-6}}{2+(10+20)\times 10^{-2}}=0.5869 J## <br/> After touching, they have charges ##q_1 and q_2 = 35\mu C-q_1## ##\frac{q_1}{10}=\frac{35\mu C-q_1}{20}## I was wondering where 1/10 and 1/20 coefficients come...
  9. Usiia

    Self Study - Foundations of Electromagnetic Theory Problem 2-1 (two charged particles hanging on strings)

    I'd like someone to check that this solution is right, and if not, give me the point of failure and not the answer. Thanks!
  10. Mr.Husky

    Classical Confusion between Electrodynamics texts

    Hello everyone, I recently completed kleppner and kolenkow classical mechanics book. Next I am going to learn Electrodynamics. My brother is a EE major and he gave me his copy of "principles of electromagnetics" Matthew Sadiku 4th edition. But a lot of people here recommend Griffiths. So, 1.)...
  11. yucheng

    What's wrong? Electric potential of a point on a ring

    So I have a ring(red) of uniform charge ##\lambda## per unit length, and I want to calculate the electric potential at the origin (actually on any point of the ring). It is clear that the ring is given by the equation $$r=2 R \sin \theta$$, in polar coordinates, where R is the radius of the...
  12. J

    Energy paradox in classical electrodynamics?

    Consider two massive charged objects at rest with a large horizontal distance ##d## between them (object ##1##: mass ##m_1##, charge ##q_1## and object ##2##: mass ##m_2##, charge ##q_2##). I apply a constant vertical force ##\vec{f_1}## upwards to object ##1## so that it gains an acceleration...
  13. qnach

    Jackson Classical Electrodynamics: page 35 expansion of charge

    Could anyone explain how did Jackson obtain the Taylor distribution of charge distribution at the end of section 1.7 (version 3)?
  14. Demystifier

    Classical Classical electrodynamics for high-energy physicists

    I've just found a recent very interesting and very modern textbook on classical electrodynamics. It starts with special relativity (rather than electrostatics) and contains a lot of high-energy topics, including renormalization (within classical realm), massive vector fields, gravitational...
  15. MathematicalPhysicist

    Thread about Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics 3rd edition

    In this thread I gather my questions concerning derivations in the textbook of equations and of solutions to the exercises. I hope every student and professional will benefit from this thread. I'll start in the next post.
  16. A

    Classical Book to learn classical electrodynamics

    Hi, What book could you recommend for a first course in classical electrodynamics? Thank you
  17. qnach

    Jackson classical electrodynamics section 9-6

    I am not sure what does Jackson want to talk in section 9-6? Is that just a review of something discussed previously? Chapter 9 is talking about radiation, and later about multipole expansion.
  18. A

    Classical Prerequisites for Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics

    Hello, I have already studied Griffith's book, Intro to Electrodynamics. However when I try Jackson's book, I find it a bit hard for me. My question is, what Maths and Physics texts (or specifically, chapters of texts) do you recommend, so that I would be best prepared for a graduate course in...
  19. O

    Classical electrodynamics problem

    Homework Statement suppose every charged particle carried electric and magnetic charge in the universal ratio Gk/Ek=a. is there another way of looking at this situation in which we would be unaware of magnetic charge?
  20. N

    Classical Electrodynamics: Explaining the Lorentz Gauge Condition

    what is physical meaning of Lorentz gauge condition in classical electrodynamics??
  21. B

    Domain of validity of classical electrodynamics

    i am currently reading griffith's book on electrodynamics, though he does an excellent job with the theory (along with all the sloppiness in math) he does not really answer the question, how well does this theory apply to the real world. i know Newton's theory is valid at v<<c, however in...
  22. Greg Bernhardt

    Classical Classical Electrodynamics by John David Jackson

    Author: John David Jackson Title: Classical Electrodynamics Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/047130932X/?tag=pfamazon01-20 Prerequisities: Contents:
  23. J

    Feynman's Nobel classical electrodynamics action

    In his Nobel lecture Feynman describes an electrodynamic action between a set of particles (equation 1, one third way thru lecture): http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1965/feynman-lecture.html The action is in 4-vector form. I wonder if someone could do me a favour and...
  24. F

    Does QED reproduce classical electrodynamics? How?

    It seems to be a dumb question. But I haven't seen anyone making this connection between QED and Classical EM in a complete fashion. The only example I've seen is the connection between two particle scattering amplitude calculation in QED (Peskin's book), and the amplitude of a particle...
  25. K

    What is the limit of classical electrodynamics?

    Hello everyone, I was wondering about the following question: Under what condition(s) could one say that the interaction between an electron and an electromagnetic wave is not governed anymore by the laws of classical electrodynamics? I would also be glad if someone could point out any...
  26. W

    How does special relativity follow from classical electrodynamics

    I'm trying to understand how one derives the relativistic treatment of the electromagnetic interaction from the classical one and which are the extra postulates made. We can start from Maxwell's equations and the Lorentz force. From the Galilean invariance of Newton's second law of motion...
  27. D

    Best edition of Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics

    Hello. What's the best edition of Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics? Thank you.
  28. C

    Ampere's Law in Classical Electrodynamics

    I do not know but I do not know if Ampers law is valid for short conductors passing through a loop. I did integrate and my integral was different from the expected I*U. The law seems to be valid only when long conductors pass through a loop but not short ones. Can anyone explain what am missing?
  29. M

    Exploring Classical Electrodynamics for QED: A Time-Saving Guide

    Hi all, I'd like to improve my understanding of classical electrodynamics, but as a UK PhD student my time for self-study is pretty limited- we don't make much time for general physics education at a graduate level. I was wondering if someone could recommend a short path through Jackson's...
  30. D

    Can complex analysis be used in classical electrodynamics?

    The title may be a bit vague, so I'll state what I am curious about. Since complex field is 'extension' to the real field, and in electrodynamics we use things like Stokes theorem, or Gauss theorem, that are being done on real field (differential manifolds and things like that, right?), can...
  31. Q

    One Big problem with Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics

    Homework Statement You can find the problem in Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics 3rd edition. Chapter 10.19.I already calculated the transmission coefficients, but mine are fourth of those given by Jackson. I do not know why. My calculation is based on Problem 10.18. I use dipole moments...
  32. Y

    Math topics I need to study JD Jackson Classical Electrodynamics.

    I was told by a friend that I need to study Complex Analysis, Introduction to Analysis on top of PDE. My highest level of math is only PDE. I want to know what other math topics I need for self study in JD Jackson. I know people go to school will have instructor teaching the math in the...
  33. A

    Pertinent content in Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics

    Hey all, just wondering if there is some consensus on which topics, covered in Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics (3rd ed), are the most relative to advanced studies in physics - e.g., quantum mechanics, the various field theories, relativity, symmetry and so on... I'm not looking to skip...
  34. M

    A physical interpretation of classical electrodynamics

    I was wondering whether any members of this PF sub-forum would help me towards some physical interpretation of Maxwell’s time-dependent equations, which must ultimately underpin any classical description of EM wave propagation. I know that some might simply suggest reading a good textbook, but I...
  35. Born2bwire

    Derivation of Lagrangian for Classical Electrodynamics

    Is there a derivation for the classical electrodynamic Lagrangian? I have taken a look at a few textbooks that I have on hand but all of them just state the Lagrangian (in the voodoo four-vector talk, \glares) without explaining the reasoning behind it. I know that the Lagrangian for a charged...
  36. C

    Classical electrodynamics -Good conductor

    Homework Statement The question given is an electromagnetic wave incident on a vacuum metal interface. The wave is incident normally. We're given that the metal is a good conductor i.e. \omega \tau <<1 where \tau is the collision time of the metal and omega is the angular frequency. The metal...
  37. M

    Classical electrodynamics

    On the Z=0 plane the charge distribution is of the form \rhos=\rho0 sin( \alpha x )sin( \beta y ) find the potential everywhere, assuming that \phi(z\rightarrow±\infty)=0 according to the answer, we should look for a potential of the form A sin( \alpha x )sin( \beta y )f(z) (due to the...
  38. M

    Classical electrodynamics - Green function

    Hello, I don't fully understand the meaning of Green function, and how one should use it. According to Jackson's "Classical Electrodynamics" - 'the method of images is a physical equivalent of the determination of the appropriate F(x, x') to satisfy the boundary conditions'. Where Green...
  39. C

    Classical electrodynamics problem

    Homework Statement Hi to everyone! I would like you to help me for a problem of classical electrodynamics. I have to study the relativistic motion of a charged particle in a coulombian field with center in the origin of the cartesian axes. I have to study the case in which the initial...
  40. Z

    Is Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics a Good Resource for Self-Study?

    The short version:I'm taking Classical electrodynamics this semester, I found out that I have this book: Classical Electrodynamics by J.D.Jackson Anyone know this book?Would it be a good choice to help me study?
  41. R

    Chapter 7 of Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics

    Chapter 7 of Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics Well I've been up for a few hours, and here I am at night, midway through swimming the brisk cold English channel that is chapter 7 of Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics (my first problem set is due Wednesday - six problems), and... well, just...
  42. L

    Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics

    Find out if it's your friend or foe when you're using this book. http://textbookreview.blogspot.com/
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