cabraham
- 1,181
- 90
vanhees71 said:I can only repeat that Maxwell's equations hold in a very large range of applicability. QED effects are negligible in everyday applications, and Maxwell's equations clearly say that the power (work per time) done on charge distributions by the electromagnetic field is given by
P=\int_{\mathbb{R}^3} \mathrm{d}^3 \vec{x} \; \vec{E}(t,\vec{x}) \cdot \vec{j}(t,\vec{x}).
Note that the current also contains the effects of magnetization through the corresponding part \vec{j}_{\text{mag}}=\vec{\nabla} \times \vec{M}.
I do not need to copy the already cited very well written paper, where it has been demonstrated on simple examples that magnetic fields do no work as predicted by Maxwell electromagnetics. It is also demonstrated that this picture also applies to the pure quantum phenomenon spin and the corresponding magnetic moment within semiclassical Dirac theory (semiclassical here means that the electron is treated as a quantum particle and the em. field as classical, an approximation valid for the nonrelativistic realm of the electron's motion, i.e., in atomic, molecular and solid-state physics for not too large charge numbers of the involved atomic nuclei). I take the freedom to cite this paper again, including the abstract, which already explains it very clearly:
PHYSICAL REVIEW E 77, 036609 (2008)
Dipole in a magnetic field, work, and quantum spin
Robert J. Deissler*
Physics Department, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, USA
͑Received 28 February 2007; published 21 March 2008
The behavior of an atom in a nonuniform magnetic field is analyzed, as well as the motion of a classical magnetic dipole ͑a spinning charged ball and a rotating charged ring. For the atom it is shown that, while the magnetic field does no work on the electron-orbital contribution to the magnetic moment ͑the source of translational kinetic energy being the internal energy of the atom, whether or not it does work on the electron-spin contribution to the magnetic moment depends on whether the electron has an intrinsic rotational kinetic energy associated with its spin. A rotational kinetic energy for the electron is shown to be consistent with the Dirac equation. If the electron does have a rotational kinetic energy, the acceleration of a silver atom in a Stern-Gerlach experiment or the emission of a photon from an electron spin flip can be explained without requiring the magnetic field to do work. For a constant magnetic field gradient along the z axis, it is found that the classical objects oscillate in simple harmonic motion along the z axis, the total kinetic energy—translational plus rotational—being a constant of the motion. For the charged ball, the change in rotational kinetic energy is associated only with a change in the precession frequency, the rotation rate about the figure axis remaining constant.
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.77.036609
The key is the dot product inside the integral, i.e. E⃗ (t,x⃗ )⋅j⃗ (t,x⃗)
Work done on charges according to this dot product is that of the E field along the direction of charge motion. We know that J = sigma*E, so that J & E are generally in the same direction. J dot with E is simply sigma*E2. But this work being done on the charges is that of conduction current. The current in the loop consists of charges acted upon by E force so that the current density J is along the direction of E force per Lorentz law.
We already knew that. Again, let us convey an example. An induction motor is a good case to examine. The stator is connected to an ac power source, constant voltage, 60 Hz, etc. A rotating field is established. Current in the stator results in a mag field which revolves about the stator axis linking the rotor bars, for a squirrel cage type rotor. This rotating B field is accompanied by a rotating E field.
The current induced into the rotor consists of charges acted upon by Lorentz force. What force is doing the work of moving e- around the rotor loops resulting in a rotor generated revolving magnetic field? The only answer is the E force. The equation you gave is applicable here. The B force acts radially to the rotor bar electrons, E force moves them around the loop.
I doubt that anyone here would dispute that the rotor charges moving in the rotor loop are motivated by the revolving E force, not the B force. Hence the work done on the rotor charges moving in the rotor loop is done by E force. Pretty obvious.
But now that rotor current is realized, a revolving rotor magnetic field exists. This field interacts with the stator field & a torque is produced. As the rotor is moved towards the stator, energy is expended, & the mag field must be replenished. The ac power mains source does just that.
Your integral shown above relates the work done on charges to the dot product of E & J. Draw a diagram & it is plain as day that that is the work establishing rotor current, not the work done turning the rotor through an angle. E is in the direction of J, if E is normal to J, dot product goes to 0. The force on the rotor is not along the direction of J. It is normal to J.
The "E dot J" in your integral is not what you think it is. I will accept correction if I erred, but please give us references as to the orientation of B force, E force, J, etc. Thanks for your interest.
Claude
