Cause-effect relationships in Maxwell's equations and their implications in the teaching of electromagnetism in introductory physics courses

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Suarez, Alvaro, Marti, Arturo C., Zuza, Kristina, Guisasola, Jenaro
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2022
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author Suarez, Alvaro
Marti, Arturo C.
Zuza, Kristina
Guisasola, Jenaro
author_facet Suarez, Alvaro
Marti, Arturo C.
Zuza, Kristina
Guisasola, Jenaro
contents A thoughtless treatment of Maxwell's equations can lead to the interpretation of the existence of a causal relationship between their different terms and, therefore, that an electric field that varies in time generates a magnetic one and vice versa. In this article we address the problems associated with these interpretations and their consequences for the teaching of physics in introductory university physics courses. First, we develop the main arguments that support that charge and current densities, constant or variable in time, are the generators of electric and magnetic fields. Then, we propose a number of classroom examples at the level of introductory courses that allow us to discuss the reasons why considering the electric and magnetic fields as disjoint entities leads to contradictions. Finally, we analyze their implications in introductory physics teaching.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2204_13479
institution arXiv
publishDate 2022
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Cause-effect relationships in Maxwell's equations and their implications in the teaching of electromagnetism in introductory physics courses
Suarez, Alvaro
Marti, Arturo C.
Zuza, Kristina
Guisasola, Jenaro
Physics Education
A thoughtless treatment of Maxwell's equations can lead to the interpretation of the existence of a causal relationship between their different terms and, therefore, that an electric field that varies in time generates a magnetic one and vice versa. In this article we address the problems associated with these interpretations and their consequences for the teaching of physics in introductory university physics courses. First, we develop the main arguments that support that charge and current densities, constant or variable in time, are the generators of electric and magnetic fields. Then, we propose a number of classroom examples at the level of introductory courses that allow us to discuss the reasons why considering the electric and magnetic fields as disjoint entities leads to contradictions. Finally, we analyze their implications in introductory physics teaching.
title Cause-effect relationships in Maxwell's equations and their implications in the teaching of electromagnetism in introductory physics courses
topic Physics Education
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2204.13479