Maxwell's equations
(without the equations)
"It's nothing, I guess, it's of no use whatsoever!"
-- Heinrich Hertz
(referring to his own work)
What is this?
-- The short answer:
It's an attempt to demonstrate how electromagnetic waves, which
travel through space at the speed of light, are generated without reference
to Maxwell's equations.
-- The long answer:
It's generally accepted that the only way to perceive
a space-traveling electromagnetic wave -- the heart of wireless
telecommunications -- is through the mathematics of
Maxwell's equations.
However, even if you are fluent in the language of mathematics,
you may still find it rather difficult to grasp a space-travelling
electromagnetic wave from the formal presentation of
Maxwell's equations. Yet, with some mathematical manipulation
and a considerable amount of wishful thinking, it is possible
to show that they do, indeed, seem to predict a "space-traveling
wave" of some sort. Do they?
What Comes Next?
The following discussion attempts to answer this question by
employing the basic physics of electric and magnetic
interactions, with no reference to Maxwell's equations.
It will then compare its outcome with the theoretical prediction
of Maxwell's equations. Finally, it will reveal how closely
this prediction approaches reality,
as discovered by Heinrich Hertz through his brilliant
experimental setup.
Next: Advancing with time ...
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