About Poynting's theorem

1992/05/01 by I Campos, I. Campos, J. L. Jiménez +1 · 32 citations
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Algebraic and Geometric Analysis #Charge (physics) #Classical mechanics #Computer science #Field (mathematics) #Interpretation (philosophy) #Magnetic field #Mathematics #Physics #Poynting vector #Poynting's theorem #Pure mathematics #Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics #Quantum mechanics #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Theoretical physics #Work (physics)

paper · doi:10.1088/0143-0807/13/3/003

published in European Journal of Physics 13(3), 117-121 (IOP Publishing)

openalex publication_date 1992/05/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

The authors review the general question of the physical interpretation of Poynting's theorem and compare two typical derivations of it. One of these uses the work done on a charge by an external electromagnet field, while the other considers the work done by the total field, external plus self-field; though this derivation is mathematically consistent, it leads to difficult problems of interpretation.

Cited by

• Poynting's theorem and energy conservation in the propagation of light in bounded media

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