Past exam of the physics B course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / Paper 2 / Section B / B7

In microscopic SI form, Maxwell's equations couple charge density $\rho$ and current density $\mathbf{J}$ to electric and magnetic fields:Gauss's electric law expresses electric flux from charge and reduces to the inverse-square Coulomb field for a point charge. Gauss's magnetic law gives zero net magnetic flux through every closed surface; magnetic field lines do not begin or end on magnetic monopoles in this theory.

Faraday's induction law says changing magnetic flux produces a circulating electric field. For a fixed loop, its circulation is minus the rate of change of enclosed magnetic flux, explaining the sign of induction and Lenz's law. For example, changing a primary coil's electric current changes the flux through a stationary secondary coil and induces a voltage. A moving wire also has the magnetic part of the Lorentz force on its charges; the fixed-loop field equation and the full motional-emf calculation must be distinguished.

The Ampère-Maxwell law relates magnetic circulation to conduction current and displacement current. The latter is essential around a charging capacitor: a surface cutting the lead and another passing through the gap must predict the same circulation. Taking the divergence givesusing Gauss's electric law. Charge conservation therefore fixes the consistency of the time-dependent equations. In matter, the equivalent macroscopic equations use $\mathbf{D}$ and $\mathbf{H}$, free sources and constitutive relations. The Lorentz force density $\rho \mathbf{E}+\mathbf{J}\times \mathbf{B}$ describes exchange of momentum with charges.

In source-free vacuum, take the curl of Faraday's law and use $\nabla \times (\nabla \times \mathbf{E})=\nabla (\nabla \cdot \mathbf{E})-{\nabla }^2\mathbf{E}$. Both fields satisfyFor a plane wave, $\omega =ck$, $\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{E}=\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{B}=0$ and $\mathbf{B}=\hat{\mathbf{k}}\times \mathbf{E}/c$. The fields are transverse, mutually perpendicular and in phase. Their energy density and energy flux areThis is Poynting's theorem: field energy is transported and can do work on matter. Electromagnetic radiation is a propagating, energy-carrying solution of the coupled electric and magnetic field equations.