Maxwell's Equations
Introduction to Maxwell's Equations
Maxwell's Equations are a set of 4 complicated equations that describe the world of electromagnetics.
These equations describe how electric and magnetic fields propagate, interact, and how they are
influenced by objects.
Maxwell's Equations are critical in understanding Antennas and Electromagnetics. They are
formidable to look at - so complicated that most electrical engineers and physicists don't even really
know what they mean. Shrouded in complex math (which is likely so "intellectual" people can feel
superior in discussing them), true understanding of these equations is hard to come by.
Maxwell's Equations are laws - just like the law of gravity. These equations are rules the universe
uses to govern the behavior of electric and magnetic fields. A flow of electric current will produce a
magnetic field. If the current flow varies with time (as in any wave or periodic signal), the magnetic
field will also give rise to an electric field. Maxwell's Equations shows that separated charge (positive
and negative) gives rise to an electric field - and if this is varying in time as well will give rise to a
propagating electric field, further giving rise to a propagating magnetic field.
equations - and you'll learn how the universe operates the Electromagnetic Machine.
Maxwell's equations represent one of the most elegant and concise ways to state the fundamentals of
electricity and magnetism. From them one can develop most of the working relationships in the field.
Because of their concise statement, they embody a high level of mathematical sophistication and are
therefore not generally introduced in an introductory treatment of the subject, except perhaps as
summary relationships.
These basic equations of electricity and magnetism can be used as a starting point for advanced
courses, but are usually first encountered as unifying equations after the study of electrical and
magnetic phenomena.
Symbols Used
E = Electric field ρ = charge density i = electric current
J = current
B = Magnetic field ε0 = permittivity
density
D = Electric displacement μ0 = permeability c = speed of light
H = Magnetic field M
P = Polarization
strength = Magnetization
Maxwell's Equations
Integral form in the absence of magnetic or polarizable media:
I. Gauss' law for electricity
II. Gauss' law for magnetism
III. Faraday's law of induction
IV. Ampere's law
Maxwell's Equations
Differential form in the absence of magnetic or polarizable media:
I. Gauss' law for electricity
II. Gauss' law for magnetism
III. Faraday's law of induction
IV. Ampere's law
here represent the vector operations divergence and curl,
Note:
respectively.
Maxwell's Equations
Differential form with magnetic and/or polarizable media:
I. Gauss' law for electricity
II. Gauss' law for magnetism
III. Faraday's law of induction
IV. Ampere's law
here represent the vector operations divergence and curl,
Note:
respectively.
Field Sources -- Electric Charge Density -- Electric Current Density J
Physical Constants -- Permittivity -- Permeability -- Conductivity
The Equations
Maxwell’s four equations describe the electric and magnetic fields arising from distributions of
electric charges and currents, and how those fields change in time. They were the mathematical
distillation of decades of experimental observations of the electric and magnetic effects of
charges and currents, plus the profound intuition of Michael Faraday. Maxwell’s own
contribution to these equations is just the last term of the last equation—but the addition of that
term had dramatic consequences. It made evident for the first time that varying electric and
magnetic fields could feed off each other—these fields could propagate indefinitely through
space, far from the varying charges and currents where they originated. Previously these fields
had been envisioned as tethered to the charges and currents giving rise to them. Maxwell’s new
term (called the displacement current) freed them to move through space in a self-sustaining
fashion, and even predicted their velocity—it was the velocity of light!
