1
   

maxwells equations

 
 
Reply Tue 13 Jul, 2004 09:09 pm
I have a question on Maxwell?s equations. I understand that one of the experiments that
confirmed Maxwell's equations was performed by John Rowland about 100 years. It consisted of measuring the magnetic field produced by a gold plated disk that had been electrostatically charged and was rotated at a high RPM.

The idea was that the rotating disk was supposed to approximate a current moving through a circular loop of wire and thus produce a magnetic field.

The problem is that there is a theorem that states that given a right circular magnet placed in a box and rotated about its magnetic axis it is impossible to determine
if the magnet is rotating or not solely by measuring the field outside the box

In fact there is a uni-polar generator in which one pole of a right circular magnet is
placed near to a conducting disk and brushes are used to remove the charge from the center and circumference of the disk. If the magnet is fixed and the disk is spinning a current
is produced. The interesting thing is that the exact same current is produced if both the
disk AND the magnet are spinning at the same speed!

It seems to me that Rowlands experiment is not compatible with the effects described in the preceding paragraph. If the field due to a magnet does not contain any information on weather the magnet is spinning ( About it's magnetic axis) then the experiment performed by Rowland should not have worked. Some experimenters did indeed claimed that the experiment did not work.

Also Richard Feynman in Lectures in Physics has a derivation that indicates that the magnetic field from a current carrying wire is a relativistic consequence of the current carrying electrons traveling near the speed of light.

So my question is. Did the Rowland experiment work?

I realize that Maxwells equations are a foundation of physics and am not questioning them but I am questioning the Rowland experiment.
  • Topic Stats
  • Top Replies
  • Link to this Topic
Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 794 • Replies: 0
No top replies

 
 

Related Topics

Evolution 101 - Discussion by gungasnake
Typing Equations on a PC - Discussion by Brandon9000
The Future of Artificial Intelligence - Discussion by Brandon9000
The well known Mind vs Brain. - Discussion by crayon851
Scientists Offer Proof of 'Dark Matter' - Discussion by oralloy
Blue Saturn - Discussion by oralloy
Bald Eagle-DDT Myth Still Flying High - Discussion by gungasnake
DDT: A Weapon of Mass Survival - Discussion by gungasnake
 
  1. Forums
  2. » maxwells equations
Copyright © 2025 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 0.03 seconds on 01/16/2025 at 05:55:30