2022/10/31 by Matthias Geyer, J. Niklas Hausmann, Geyer, Matthias +7
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Classical Physics (physics.class-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2211.13213
openalex publication_date 2022/10/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Using Maxwell's mental imagery of a tube of fluid motion of an imaginary fluid, we derive his equations curl E = -(∂ B)/(∂ t), curl H = (∂ D)/(∂ t) + j, div D = \varrho, div B = 0, which together with the constituting relations D = ε0 E, B = μ0 H, form what we call today Maxwell's equations. Main tools are the divergence, curl and gradient integration theorems and a version of Poincare's lemma formulated in vector calculus notation. Remarks on the history of the development of electrodynamic theory, quotations and references to original and secondary literature complement the paper.