B-Fields: Deriving Faraday's Law & Why No Work?

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on the relationship between B-fields and work in the context of Faraday's Law and electromotive force (emf). It clarifies that B-fields do not perform work on point charges due to the nature of the Lorentz force, which is always perpendicular to the velocity of the charge. The closed line integral of the magnetic field (B) is zero, as indicated by the equation ∇ · B = 0, which leads to the conclusion that B-fields can do work on magnetic dipoles but not on charges. Understanding these principles is essential for grasping the derivation of Faraday's Law.

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  • Understanding of Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction
  • Familiarity with the Lorentz force equation (q v × B)
  • Knowledge of vector calculus, specifically line and surface integrals
  • Basic concepts of magnetic fields and their properties
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ChanceLiterature
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This statement has always confused me. Now my confusion is coming home to roast while we cover EMF.

If we consider work mathematically as ∫f.dl and require integral to be path independent then of course the B-field does no work.

However, it seems like there is a deeper meaning to B-fields do no work. Is there?

Tied into this is faradays law. Faraday's Law can be "derived" from emf (it's in quotes because I understand faradays is first principles). In this derivation emf force is stated to be closed integral ∫E.dl. I do not understand why this why emf or this induced force around the loop is necessarily due to an E-field as opposed to to B-field.
 
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For some clarification I think you are saying that B-field do no work to charges. B-field do work to magnetic dipoles as we see two magnets attract and collide.
ChanceLiterature said:
In this derivation emf force is stated to be closed integral ∫E.dl.
it equals to
-\int_A\frac{\partial \mathbf{B}}{\partial t} \cdot d\mathbf{A}
using B.
 
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anuttarasammyak said:
For some clarification I think you are saying that B-field do no work to charges. B-field do work to magnetic dipoles as we see two magnets attract and collide.

it equals to
-\int_A\frac{\partial \mathbf{B}}{\partial t} \cdot d\mathbf{A}
using B.
Yes, I'm trying to highlight two points of confusion. You're right I was not clear enough. I hope this helps.

1) I am asking why B-fields do no work on a point charge when the path integral of a charge on a B-field is non-zero? Did we define work as path integral only over conservative fields? Is this why we say B-fields do no work?

2) I am not sure why the closed line integral of B is necessarily zero (if I still had my copy of Boas' Mathematics in the physical sciences, I might know why/if this holds). Additionally, if it is not necessarily zero, I am not sure why the resulting the emf is defined as closed E.dl.

My confusion with Faraday's law in the original question derives from not understanding emf I suspect. Thus, I think ironing out point of confusion 2 will help
 
A familiar reply to 1) is to see the formula of Lorentz force the part originated from B of which is
q \mathbf{v} \times \mathbf{B}
and is always perpendicular to velocity of charge q point, ##\mathbf{v}##, thus no work done on the charge.
 
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Thanks. I realized 1 was very dumb after remembering what conservative and close integral meant.

Additionally, even I'm not sure what I'm asking or saying for 2
 
Thanks for the help
 
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ChanceLiterature said:
2) I am not sure why the closed line integral of B is necessarily zero
Zero we see as for B is
\nabla \cdot \mathbf{B} =0
and thus
\int_S \mathbf{B} \cdot d\mathbf{S}=0
for a closed surface S. Not line integral.
 

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