Electromagnetism

Electrostatic Force: Acts between stationary charged particles. Like charges repel, and opposite charges attract. Magnetic Force: Acts between moving charged particles.

The electromagnetic force is associated with electromagnetic waves, such as light, radio waves, and X-rays. These waves are oscillations in the electromagnetic field that propagate through space.  

Classical electromagnetism treats the electromagnetic field as being composed of continuous lines, while quantum electrodynamics describes the field in terms of discrete packets of energy called photons.  

Strong Nuclear Force: Holds the nucleus of an atom together. Weak Nuclear Force: Involved in radioactive decay. Electromagnetic Force: Governs the interactions between charged particles. Gravity: The force of attraction between any two objects with mass.

Photons are the particles that carry the electromagnetic force. They are responsible for various phenomena, including light, radio waves, and X-rays. Photons exhibit both particle and wave properties.  

Classical electromagnetism is a theory of physics that describes the interaction of electric and magnetic fields at macroscopic scales. It was developed in the late 19th century by physicists such as James Clerk Maxwell and Michael Faraday. Classical electromagnetism precedes quantum physics.

• Classical electromagnetism is based on the idea that electric charges and electromagnetic fields are continuous and smooth. It does not take into account the quantization of energy or the wave-particle duality of matter.
• Charged particles create electromagnetic fields, which in turn exert electromagnetic forces on other charged particles.
• The four Maxwell equations are:
  • Gauss’s law for electricity: The electric flux through a closed surface is proportional to the total electric charge enclosed by the surface.
  • Gauss’s law for magnetism: There are no magnetic monopoles, and the magnetic flux through a closed surface is always zero.
  • Faraday’s law of induction: A changing magnetic field produces an electric field.
  • Ampere’s circuital law with Maxwell’s correction: A changing electric field or an electric current produces a magnetic field.
• These equations can be used to describe a wide range of phenomena, from the propagation of electromagnetic waves to the operation of electrical and electronic devices. They are also used in many different fields, including engineering, medicine, and astronomy.

Electromagnetism is the fundamental force that governs the behaviour of electric and magnetic fields. It encompasses the generation, interaction, and propagation of these fields as electromagnetic waves, and includes the principles and phenomena related to these interactions.

In its broadest sense, electromagnetism refers to the entire realm of phenomena arising from the fundamental electromagnetic force. This includes:

• The electromagnetic force itself: The interaction between electrically charged particles, causing attraction or repulsion.
• Electromagnetic fields: Invisible fields associated with charged particles and currents, exerting forces on other charged particles.
• Electromagnetic radiation: Energy travelling in the form of waves or particles (photons), such as light, radio waves, and X-rays.

• Find out more about electromagnetism here.