Fundamentals of Maxwell Equations of Electrodynamics

Egon P. Hassel Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dipl.-Phys.

Institute of Technical Thermodynamics Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Shipbuilding University of Rostock, Germany Tel: +49 381 498 9400 email: egon.hassel (et) uni-rostock.de http://www.LTT-Rostock.de http:/ www.egonsthermosite.eu August 14, 2010

Contents
1 Maxwell Equations 1.1 Introduction . . . . . 1.2 Maxwell Equations . 1.3 Light and radiation . 1.4 Some useful formulas 1.5 Conclusion . . . . . . 3 . 3 . 3 . 7 . 9 . 10

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Maxwell Equations

1.1 Introduction

Why should mechanical engineers learn something about the Maxwell Equations (ME) from Electro-Dynamics (ED)? ME have to do with electronics and therefore with mechatroncs etc, sure. However the cause here is, that from the ME we get electro-magnetic waves, that is e.g. light and microwaves, which is radiation and that and gives radiative heat transfer. Therefore we will explain some fundamentels about ME. Another interesting application of ME is spectroscopy, as e.g. in laser diagnostics for combustion studies. Spectroscopy can be understood only with ED and Quantum-Mechanics (QM).

1.2

Maxwell Equations
xE (r, t) = B (r, t) r t xH (r, t) = D (r, t) + j (r, t) t t D (r, t) = (r, t) r B (r, t) = 0 r 3

The complete and general Maxwell Equations are as follows: (1.1) (1.2) (1.3) (1.4)

CHAPTER 1. MAXWELL EQUATIONS

These eqns were written down by Maxwell, see below, 1864. I like this form because it can be seen easily whether we have a vector or a scalar and for which quantity we make the derivation, or you could write also in a less favorite and less transparent writing format: rot (E (r, t)) = rot (H (r, t)) = B (r, t) t D (r, t) + j (r, t) t (1.5) (1.6) (1.7) (1.8)

div (D (r, t)) = (r, t) div (B (r, t)) = 0 with the additional material equations: D (r, t) = 0 E (r, t) + P (r, t) = 0 E (r, t) B (r, t) = 0 H (r, t) + 0 M (r, t) = 0 H (r, t)

(1.9) (1.10)

with the terms and symbols as: Eqn 1.1 is the Faradays law, eqn 1.2 is the Amperes law, eqn 1.3 says that the source of an elctrical eld E is an electrical charge or charge density and eqn 1.4 tells us, that the magnetic eld has no source. (Some people still look for magnitic monopoles as source for the magnetic eld.) Symbols: t is the time, r is the spatial vector (x, y, z ), t is the derivation with respect to time, == ex + ey + ez r x y z (1.11)

is the Nabla operator as a vector, and is the derivation with respect to the spatial coordinate r = (x, y, z ), as in e.g. and xE (r, t) = xE = rot (E (r, t)) = r r (1.12)

1.2. MAXWELL EQUATIONS

xE = r
Ez y Ex z Ey x
y E z z E x x E y

(1.13)

= = = = = = 0 = 0 = P = M = = =

E B H D j

electric f ield [V /m] magnetic induction [V s/m2 ] magnetic f ield [A/m] electric displacement f ield [Cb/m2 ] electrical charge density [A/m2 ] electric charge density [Cb/m3 ] permittivity of f ree space permeability of f ree space electric polarization [Cb/m2 ] magnetizing f ield [A/m] relative dielectric material constant[] relative magnetic material constant[]

(1.14) (1.15) (1.16) (1.17) (1.18) (1.19) (1.20) (1.21) (1.22) (1.23) (1.24) (1.25) (1.26)

with 1V olt = 1 kgm , 1Ampere = 1 Cb , 0 = 8.854E 12(Cb2 s2 /(kgm3 )), 0 = As3 s 1.26E 6V s/Am], and are in generell tensors. The Maxwell equations are three dimensional coupled partial dierential equations in time and space which deal with electrical and magnetic three dimensional elds. What is a eld? It is quantity which exists and can be measured although there is no material present, e.g. in vacuum space. Humankind did not accept the idea of a eld for a long time. Temperature elds or velocity elds are totally dierent, because these just describe substance properties which may vary in space. Electrical and magnetic elds need no material or substance. The ME are valid for the smallest known distances in atoms or even beyond that and also for the largest known distances in the universe. These eqns describe all electrical and magnetic behavior in nature, there are no more eqns. The ME are also not changed by quantum mechanics (QM), which is astonishing, they survive the coupling with QM in the form of QED. The ME eqns are also compatible to the theory of relativity. They are one of the nest examples of a valid and complete theory. We see also that the elctric eld and the

CHAPTER 1. MAXWELL EQUATIONS

magnetic eld are coupled. When we have a time changing magnetif eld we get also an electric eld and vice versa.

Figure 1.1: James Clerk Maxwell, 1831-1879, for author etc see footnote

In this gure 1 1.1 we see James Clerk Maxwell. Text from wikipedia, english version: James Clerk Maxwell (1831 1879) was a Scottish theoretical physicist and mathematician. His most important achievement was classical electromagnetic theory, synthesizing all previously unrelated observations, experiments and equations of electricity, magnetism and even optics into a consistent theory. His set of equationsMaxwells equationsdemonstrated that electricity, magnetism and even light are all manifestations of the same phenomenon: the electromagnetic eld. From that moment on, all other classic laws or equations of these disciplines became simplied cases of Maxwells equations. Maxwells work in electromagnetism has been called the second great unication in physics, after the rst one carried out by Isaac Newton.

The picture is from wikipedia english version, this image (or other media le) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to the United States, Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years.

1.3. LIGHT AND RADIATION

1.3

Light and radiation

With a few assumptions, like that we are in vacuum, and a few rearrangements of the ME we can easily derive a wave eqn: 1 2 2 E E=0 0 0 r2 t2 (1.27)

This can also be done for the magnetic eld B . One solution for this eqn is, for simplicity in one dimension z : E = A cos (kz t) And from that we see Frequency: = 2 wavelength: 2 k wave velocity in vacuum: = c= = k 1 ( 0 0 ) 3E 8 m s (1.28)

(1.29)

(1.30)

(1.31)

A similar derivation can be done for the magnetic eld B. The analysis gives the following results: From the ME we get electro magnetic waves that spread in vacuum. This is called radiation, and light is part of the radiation spectrum. The waves are transversional, that means that the E-eld and the Beld are perpendicular to the propagation direction. E-eld and B-eld are perpendicular to each other and to the propagation direction. The velocity of the waves is c, which can be derived from two fundamental natural constants as 0 and 0 . (Remember the diculty which humankind had to measure the speed of light).)

CHAPTER 1. MAXWELL EQUATIONS

Here we derived the properties of light from the ME. We got waves. Light and electro magnetic radiation is a wave. All experiments show this. On the other hand, from quantum mechanics (QM) we learn, that light is also particles. All experiments also show this. This seems to be no contradition. But light is far from understood. Feynman and others developed quantum electro dynamics (QED) form the properties of light and still until today many aspects, like simple reection experiments, are not fully understood. Thus, light is fun.

Figure 1.2: Electric eld-, magnetic eld - and propagation vecor of radiation, for author etc see footnote

In the gure 2 1.2 we see the electric eld vector, the magnetic eld vector and the propagation direction of light. E-eld and B-eld are perpendicular to the propagation direction k and to each other, although there is no substance which could carry a wave. In the gure 3 1.3 we see an electro magnetic spectrum, schematically. We see that the visible light is a very very small portion of all the spectrum.

The picture is from wikipedia, Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, title of picture: Onda electromagntica, 14 May 2007, Source Self, based on Image:Onde electromagnetique.png, Author SuperManu, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Onde electromagnetique.svg 3 The picture is from the Wikimedia Commons. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, This image comes from the English Wikipedia (Original author : Philip Ronan), (see also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EM spectrum.svg)

1.4. SOME USEFUL FORMULAS

Figure 1.3: Electro magnetic spectrum, for author etc see footnote

1.4

Some useful formulas

These formulas come from ED and QM. The velocity of light is the frequency times the wavelength: c = = cvac (1.32)

This is always correct, in vacuum and within a material. The wavelength within a material with a refraction index nmat is: cvac (1.33) mat = nmat Thus the velocity of light within a material gets slower. The frequency in constant in a tansition from vacuum to material, only the wavelength changes. A single photon has the energy: Eph = h = h k = hc (1.34)

with h as Plancks action quantum, and h = 2h . From this we see, that the higher the frequency of radiation or the lower the wavelength, the higher is the energy of a single photon. Therefore Roentgen radiation is more intense and thus more dangerous than visible light.

10

CHAPTER 1. MAXWELL EQUATIONS

1.5

Conclusion

From the Maxwell equations we get transversal electromagnetic waves, which carry enery and do all that what we expect waves to do, like making refraction and absorption etc. However, we do get spectra or the famous Planckss radiation law. To derive these things we need electro dynamics, that is the Maxwell equations, and additionally the Quantum Mechanics. From that we learn that most thermal radiation is in the infrared spectrum. Therefore we will write a new report about Plancks radiation law and the radiative heat transfer for mechanical engineering students. - the end -.