B4.21

Electrodynamics | Part II, 2003

Describe the physical meaning of the various components of the stress-energy tensor TabT^{a b} of the electromagnetic field.

Suppose that one is given an electric field E(x)\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{x}) and a magnetic field B(x)\mathbf{B}(\mathbf{x}). Show that the angular momentum about the origin of these fields is

J=1μ0x×(E×B)d3x\mathbf{J}=\frac{1}{\mu_{0}} \int \mathbf{x} \times(\mathbf{E} \times \mathbf{B}) d^{3} \mathbf{x}

where the integral is taken over all space.

A point electric charge QQ is at the origin, and has electric field

E=Q4πϵ0xx3\mathbf{E}=\frac{Q}{4 \pi \epsilon_{0}} \frac{\mathbf{x}}{|\mathbf{x}|^{3}}

A point magnetic monopole of strength PP is at y\mathbf{y} and has magnetic field

B=μ0P4πxyxy3\mathbf{B}=\frac{\mu_{0} P}{4 \pi} \frac{\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{y}}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{y}|^{3}}

Find the component, along the axis between the electric charge and the magnetic monopole, of the angular momentum of the electromagnetic field about the origin.

[Hint: You may find it helpful to express both E\mathbf{E} and B\mathbf{B} as gradients of scalar potentials.]

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