The unification of electric and magnetic forces

In summary, the unification of electric and magnetic forces is a fundamental concept in physics that states that these two seemingly distinct forces are actually different aspects of the same force, known as the electromagnetic force. This theory was first proposed by James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century and has been supported by numerous experiments and observations. The unification of these forces has greatly advanced our understanding of the universe and has led to the development of many technological advancements, such as electricity and magnetism-based technologies like electromagnets and electric motors.
  • #1
ShayanJ
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Hi pals
Could someone introduce me some docs about the unification of electric and magnetic forces?
thanks alot
 
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  • #2
Shyan said:
Hi pals
Could someone introduce me some docs about the unification of electric and magnetic forces?
thanks alot

Not sure exactly what you're asking, but http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetics" might be a good starting point.

Electric and magnetic fields are closely related, obviously, since each one generates the other. Is that what you're asking about?

Or are you wondering about the fact that they are actually the same force from two different points of view according to relativity?
 
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  • #3
In fact i wanted sth that explains the maxwell theory and contains his calculations,too.
And i didn't know that relativity contains sth similar.Is it special relativity?
 
  • #4
Maxwell's equations can be found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations" . I'm not sure what you mean by the Maxwell theory, unless that just means classical electromagnetics. The link I posted before discussed electromagnetics in general. It is a broad subject; you could spend years studying it.

Don't worry about relativity, I was just trying to figure out what you were asking.
 
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  • #5
Xezlec said:
Not sure exactly what you're asking, but http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetics" might be a good starting point.

Electric and magnetic fields are closely related, obviously, since each one generates the other. Is that what you're asking about?

Or are you wondering about the fact that they are actually the same force from two different points of view according to relativity?

I think he meant historically, since electric and magnetic forces were originally thought to be separate forces, which were later unified. When was it discovered that they were the same?
 
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  • #6
Shyan said:
Hi pals
Could someone introduce me some docs about the unification of electric and magnetic forces?
thanks alot


"Could someone introduce me some docs about the unification of electric and magnetic forces?"
-- from first entry in this topic

How about the late Chris Zafiratos' derivation of the magnetic field from the electrostatic Coulomb field[tex]:^1[/tex]

[tex]\vec{F}=\frac{k q_{1} q_{2}}{\vec{r^2}}[/tex]

and asserting from experimentation that between two like charges q with equal (parrallel) velocities separated by r that the force is reduced by[tex]:^2[/tex]

[tex]\vec{F}=\frac{k q_{1} q_{2}}{\vec{r^2}}(1 - \frac{v^2}{c^2})[/tex]

then multiplies this out and derives to[tex]:^3[/tex]

[tex]\vec{F} = \frac{k q_1 q_2}{\overset{\rightharpoonup }{r}_{12}^2}-\frac{k q_1
q_2}{\overset{\rightharpoonup }{r}_{12}^2}(\frac{v^2}{c^2})[/tex]

[tex]\vec{F}= \vec{F_{e}} + \vec{F_{M}}[/tex]

Where

[tex] \vec{F_{M}}= -\frac{k q_{1} q_{2}}{\vec{r^2}}( \frac{v^2}{c^2})[/tex]

and

[tex] \vec{F_{e}}= \frac{k q_{1} q_{2}}{\vec{r^2}}[/tex].



Could you explain if the first equation can be derived from specal relativity (ie the (1 -[tex]\beta^2[/tex]) term? or point me to text with similar reasoning and explanations?

[1] Purists might prefer [tex]\frac{k q_1 q_2 \hat{r} }{r^3}(1-\frac{v^2}{c^2})[/tex]
[2] Physics, Chris Zafiratos C1976 John Wiley & Sons pp 710-712 ( first edition)
[3] I would show you the whole derivation and his conclusion for the magnetic force in Guassian and SI units if I had more time.
 
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  • #7
If you go to Google book search, try looking for the old papers of Faraday and Ampere and Euler, also search "correlation of the forces of nature", "identity of the imponderables".
 
  • #8
DruidArmy said:
If you go to Google book search, try looking for the old papers of Faraday and Ampere and Euler, also search "correlation of the forces of nature", "identity of the imponderables".

But how do you search for a mathematical equation? Do you use Tex, MathML, ... I anticipate the symantic web when we will search ideas and concepts, not type setting and encodings, etc !

There are two things that bother me with Zafiratos' spectacular but arbitrary assertion. If he were using the Taylor series approximation

[tex](1-x)^n\approx 1-\text{nx}[/tex]

for either

[tex]\frac{1}{c^2-\upsilon ^2}[/tex] or [tex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{c^2-\upsilon ^2}}[/tex]


then

[tex]\frac{1}{c^2-\upsilon ^2}\approx \frac{v^2}{c^2}+1[/tex]

and

[tex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{c^2-\upsilon ^2}}\approx \frac{v^2}{2 c^2}+1[/tex]

Yet Zafiratos uses

[tex]\frac{- v^2}{c^2}+1[/tex]

It is the minus sign that intrigues me.

Plus the fact that when v = c the whole expression goes to F = 0! ( ie at the speed of light the electro static force is zero).

(Maybe this is the wrong forum for this type of question? Does anyone have a suggestion? By the way, "correlation of the forces of nature" is an excellent Internet search string! Thanks! I am just now trying "identity of the imponderables" and the 1843 edition of "New Philosopy of Matter")
 
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  • #9
Hi,

I think that Paul Dirac, Maxwell, Larmor have developed many mathematical models of the interaction of electric and magnetic fields. Larmor is very mathematical, way beyond anything I can follow easily.

DA
 

What is the unification of electric and magnetic forces?

The unification of electric and magnetic forces is a concept in physics that describes how these two fundamental forces are actually different aspects of the same underlying force, known as the electromagnetic force. This was first proposed by James Clerk Maxwell in the 19th century and has since been confirmed by numerous experiments and theories.

Why is the unification of electric and magnetic forces important?

The unification of electric and magnetic forces is important because it helps us better understand the fundamental nature of our universe. By recognizing that these seemingly separate forces are actually related, we can develop more accurate and comprehensive theories of physics. Additionally, this unification has led to the development of technologies such as electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetism, which have greatly impacted our daily lives.

How does the unification of electric and magnetic forces work?

The unification of electric and magnetic forces is based on the concept of an electromagnetic field, which is a region of space where both electric and magnetic fields are present. These fields interact with each other and can create forces that act on charged particles. This unified theory also includes equations, such as Maxwell's equations, which describe how these fields behave and interact.

What evidence supports the unification of electric and magnetic forces?

There is a significant amount of evidence that supports the unification of electric and magnetic forces. This includes experiments such as the Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction, which shows how a changing magnetic field can create an electric field, and the Lorentz force law, which describes the force on a charged particle moving through a magnetic field. Additionally, the development of quantum electrodynamics, which explains the behavior of electric and magnetic fields on a subatomic level, further supports this unification.

What are the implications of the unification of electric and magnetic forces?

The unification of electric and magnetic forces has many implications in the fields of physics and technology. It has allowed us to understand and manipulate these forces more accurately, leading to the development of technologies such as generators, motors, and electric circuits. This unification has also paved the way for further advancements in the field of electromagnetism, such as the study of electromagnetic radiation and the development of electromagnetic theories of light.

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