High School A Magnetic Misconception on Divergence 0/Closed Field Lines?

Click For Summary
The discussion centers on whether closed magnetic field lines imply that magnetic forces do no net work, questioning the misconception surrounding this concept. It draws a parallel to electric fields, noting that closed field lines between opposite electric charges do not prevent work from being done on those charges. The conversation highlights that while magnetic forces may not do work on charges in a closed loop, electric fields can still perform work despite having closed lines, as seen in the case of an electric dipole. The key takeaway is that the presence of closed field lines does not inherently mean that no work can be done by the associated forces. Understanding the distinction between magnetic and electric fields is crucial in this context.
walkeraj
Messages
17
Reaction score
4
Question: Can we ultimately atttribute no work or net zero work done by a magnetic force to the closed magnetic field lines that results in Divergence zero of a magnetic field? That is, is it a misconception to say that closed magnetic field lines imply magnetic force will always result in no net work?

(I meant misconception on my part not theory.)

Edit: Why misconception? Now switch to electric field. The field lines between two opposite electric test charges are also closed and resemble that of a bar magnet, though electric in nature. Does it hold? Is it enough to say that since the field lines are closed between the two test charges that no net work can ever be done?
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Work done by a magnetic force on what ? Electric charge ?
 
Electric charge is all I can see (thinking back to Griffith's book).
 
Consider the electric field of an idealized electric dipole. It has only closed field lines, but it can do work on a charge.
 
  • Like
Likes Vanadium 50
Topic about reference frames, center of rotation, postion of origin etc Comoving ref. frame is frame that is attached to moving object, does that mean, in that frame translation and rotation of object is zero, because origin and axes(x,y,z) are fixed to object? Is it same if you place origin of frame at object center of mass or at object tail? What type of comoving frame exist? What is lab frame? If we talk about center of rotation do we always need to specified from what frame we observe?

Similar threads

  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
1K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
1K