# Reading Smythe's book on static and dynamic electricity

1. Jul 4, 2005

### Nakis

reading Smythe's book on "static and dynamic electricity"

Hi,

I am reading Smythe's book on "static and dynamic electricity" (1st edition, 1939) and I'm having trouble deriving some of the formulas. I wonder if someone already corrected that. For instance,

1.10 - Gauss's electric flux theorem. The expression for the normal flux component has a superfluous K : $$dN = E_n \cdot dS$$
1.101 - I can't seem to obtain the expression for N, unless if $$sin^2(\alpha) = 2 \cdot (1 - cos(\alpha))$$ (actually : $$1- cos(2\alpha) = 2 \cdot sin^2(\alpha)$$).

thanks,

Nakis

2. Jul 4, 2005

### Meir Achuz

I suggest you try a newer high level EM book with clearer derivations than Smythe.
No trig is needed to derive Gauss's law.

3. Jul 4, 2005

### Gokul43201

Staff Emeritus

4. Jul 4, 2005

### MalleusScientiarum

I personally like the Schwartz Principles of Electrodynamics. His arguements are very physical, and he more or less teaches you the basics of special relativity at a very natural point in the book; the middle, not as an afterthought.

5. Jul 4, 2005

### Meir Achuz

Griffiths is lower level than Smythe. Schwartz has a great book, but starting with SR doesn't help electrostatics. There is a new book "Classical Electromagnetism"
by Franklin (Addison-Wesley) that is close to Smythe's (or Jackson's) level with less complication.