Is This Spherical Electromagnet a Challenge to Gauss's Law?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a claim regarding a hollow spherical electromagnet designed to contain plasma, as presented on the website http://justodians.org/SphericalMagnet/PatentApp.htm. Participants analyze whether this invention contradicts Gauss's Law, which states that the electric field inside a closed loop is zero. The consensus is that the device does not disprove Gauss's Law, as the magnetic flux at the center of the sphere would indeed be zero, with any field strength increasing outward from the center.

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  • Basic principles of electromagnetism and magnetic fields
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taylaron
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I've stumbled upon a website that claims that he has created a hollow spherical electromagnet that could contain plasma.
http://justodians.org/SphericalMagnet/PatentApp.htm
I don't know the credibility of his claims but I would appreciate an analysis of his "invention". Does this device disprove Gauss's law: that the field inside a closed loop is zero? Or is there a mono-directional field (in relation to the center) that increases in strength as it becomes further away from the exact center of the sphere?

Regards- Tay
 
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taylaron said:
I've stumbled upon a website that claims that he has created a hollow spherical electromagnet that could contain plasma.
http://justodians.org/SphericalMagnet/PatentApp.htm
I don't know the credibility of his claims but I would appreciate an analysis of his "invention". Does this device disprove Gauss's law: that the field inside a closed loop is zero? Or is there a mono-directional field (in relation to the center) that increases in strength as it becomes further away from the exact center of the sphere?

Regards- Tay

I didn't spend much time reading it. The key phrases are "this invention is given freely to all people", and the fact that he says he filed the patent application in 2004. That means it was rejected.
 
That could very well be; but just because it was supposedly rejected, doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't work. I admit it could be complete garbage.
But theoretically, could the device work? Is the theory sound enough? Although I suppose that is different from my original question. I think I solved my original question (answer is no) because the flux in the center of the "ball" would be zero and there would be surrounding that point.

-Tay
 

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