Suppose is a Killing vector field, is an electromagnetic field tensor satisfying and , and a particle of nonzero mass obeys the Lorentz force equation . Cartan's magic formula gives , so the local potential of a closed differential one-form proof gives locally. The Killing equation eliminates , and the force term gives . Therefore is locally conserved. The sign assumes contraction in the first argument of . A global potential additionally requires the closed one-form to have zero periods; invariance alone is insufficient without the homogeneous Maxwell equations.
Electromagnetic field Created 2026-10-05 Updated 2026-10-06
Suppose the Cartesian magnetic flux function is advected, the initial axial velocity is zero, initially, and . Then remains a function of the flux label and time. The axial Lorentz force vanishes because its transverse derivative along a magnetic field line vanishes. Smooth ideal evolution therefore preserves zero axial motion.
Helical motion in a uniform magnetic field Created 2026-09-29 Updated 2026-10-06
In a uniform magnetic field, the Lorentz force leaves the component of velocity parallel to the field constant and rotates the perpendicular component at the nonrelativistic cyclotron frequency . The resulting path is a helix around a field line.
Magnetic field Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
The magnetic field contributes the velocity-dependent term to the Lorentz force.
Magnetic force on a current-carrying wire Created 2026-09-29 Updated 2026-10-06
A wire carrying current in a magnetic field experiences
This follows by summing the magnetic part of the Lorentz force over the moving charge carriers.
The magnetohydrodynamic total pressure is , the sum of gas pressure and magnetic pressure. The remaining Lorentz force is magnetic tension, so this scalar does not include the entire magnetic stress.
Motional electromotive force is the contribution caused by a conductor moving through a magnetic field. The magnetic part of the Lorentz force separates charges within the conductor. For a bar of length moving at velocity perpendicular to a uniform field, its magnitude is ; the sign follows the chosen circuit orientation. Together with the electric-field contribution it enters Faraday's law for moving circuits.