The discussion clarifies the distinction between magnetic poles and sinks/sources, emphasizing that monopoles act as sinks/sources with nonzero divergence, while magnetic dipoles, such as those found in solenoids, exhibit zero divergence. The conversation highlights the inadequacy of defining magnetic poles in the same manner as electric dipoles due to the absence of true sources or sinks in magnetic fields. Additionally, it mentions experiments involving Hall probes and particle detectors aimed at locating magnetic monopoles, although no monopoles have been discovered to date.
PREREQUISITESPhysicists, electrical engineers, students of electromagnetism, and researchers interested in the properties of magnetic fields and monopoles.
darthoctopus said:There are monopoles and there are dipoles. Monopoles are sinks/sources (e.g. point masses, charges) which give a nonzero divergence. Magnetic dipoles (the type you find in solenoids, say) give zero divergence because on the whole they are neither sources nor sinks. So no, they are not the same thing.
Um, I suppose you could wave a Hall probe around in space. I don't think it's very meaningful to point to something and call it a magnetic pole in the same sense as you could with one half of an electric dipole, precisely because there are no sources/sinks. I guess this probably renders the electron thing moot too.
Bob S said:Some people have built particle detectors to search for magnetic monopole "rays", pull monopoles out of meteor dust (and moon dust?), and even built the magnetic equivalent of a toroidal electric circulating current, using ground-up meteor dust in balls of epoxy. No monopoles found.
Bob S