How Did Michael Faraday's Discovery Change Our Understanding of Fields?

[Dash-IQ]

"Michael Faraday first realized the importance of a field as a physical object, during his investigations into magnetism. He realized that electric and magnetic fields are not only fields of force which dictate the motion of particles, but also have an independent physical reality because they carry energy."

Can someone please explain what is meant by this?

 

[dipole]

The explanation seems quite clear to me. Why don't you be me specific about what you don't understand?

 

[Dash-IQ]

The explanation seems quite clear to me. Why don't you be me specific about what you don't understand?

"But also have an independent physical reality because they carry energy."
What is meant by this part specifically.

 

[WannabeNewton]

"But also have an independent physical reality because they carry energy."
What is meant by this part specifically.

It means fields themselves carry energy (and momentum and angular momentum). It's quite literal.