ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY

1 | P a g e

SCALAR & VECTOR:
A scalar is a variable that only has magnitude, e.g. a speed of 40 km/h. Compare it with
vector, a quantity comprising both magnitude and direction, e.g. a velocity of 40km/h north .


Scalar Product (DOT Product):
These are vectors:

They can be multiplied using the "Dot Product"
Calculating
You can calculate the Dot Product of two vectors this way:


a b = |a| |b| cos()
Note: |a| means the magnitude (length) of vector a
(multiply the length of a times the length of b, then multiply by
the cosine of the angle between a and b)
OR you can calculate it this way:


a b = a
x
b
x
+ a
y
b
y

(multiply the x's, multiply the y's, then add)
They both work!
Example: Calculate the dot product of vectors a and b:

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY
2 | P a g e

a b = |a| |b| cos()
a b = 10 13 cos(59.5)
a b = 10 13 0.5075...
a b = 65.98... = 66 (rounded)
a b = a
x
b
x
+ a
y
b
y

a b = -6 5 + 8 12
a b = -30 + 96
a b = 66
Both methods came up with the same result (after rounding)
Also note that we used minus 6 for a
x
(it is heading in the negative x-direction)
Note: you can use the Vector Calculator to help you.
Why cos() ?
OK, to multiply two vectors it makes sense to multiply their lengths together but only when
they point in the same direction.
So we make one "point in the same direction" as the other by multiplying by cos():



We take the component of a
that lies alongside b

Like shining a light to see
where the shadow lies
THEN we multiply !
It works exactly the same if we "projected" b alongside a then
multiplied:
Because it doesn't matter which order we do the multiplication:
|a| |b| cos() = |a| cos() |b|

Right Angles
When two vectors are at right angles to each other the dot product is zero.
Example: calculate the Dot Product for:
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY
3 | P a g e


a b = |a| |b| cos()
a b = |a| |b| cos(90)
a b = |a| |b| 0
a b = 0
a b = a
x
b
x
+ a
y
b
y

a b = -12 12 + 16 9
a b = -144 + 144
a b = 0
This can be a handy way to find out if two vectors are at right angles.
Three or More Dimensions
This all works fine in 3 (or more) dimensions, too.
And can actually be very useful!
Example: Sam has measured the end-points of two poles, and wants to know the angle
between them:

We have 3 dimensions, so don't forget the z-components:
a b = a
x
b
x
+ a
y
b
y
+ a
z
b
z

a b = 9 4 + 2 8 + 7 10
a b = 36 + 16 + 70
a b = 122

Now for the other formula:
a b = |a| |b| cos()
But what is |a| ? It is the magnitude, or length, of the vector a. We can use Pythagoras:
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY
4 | P a g e

|a| = (4
2
+ 8
2
+ 10
2
) = (16 + 64 + 100) = 180
Likewise for |b|:
|b| = (9
2
+ 2
2
+ 7
2
) = (81 + 4 + 49) = 134
And we know from the calculation above that a b = 122, so:
a b = |a| |b| cos()
122 = 180 134 cos()
cos() = 122 / (180 134)
cos() = 0.7855...
= cos
-1
(0.7855...) = 38.2...
Done!
I tried a calculation like that once, but worked all in angles and distances ... it was very hard,
involved lots of trigonometry, and my brain hurt. The method above is much easier.



CROSS VECTOR PRODUCT:

These are two vectors:

They can be multiplied using the "Cross Product"
(also see Dot Product).
The Cross Product a b of two vectors is another vector that is at right angles to both:


And it all happens in 3 dimensions!


ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY
5 | P a g e

Calculating
You can calculate the Cross Product this way:


a b = |a| |b| sin() n
|a| is the magnitude (length) of vector a
|b| is the magnitude (length) of vector b
is the angle between a and b
n is the unit vector at right angles to both a and b
So the length is: the length of a times the length of b times the
sine of the angle between a and b,
Then you multiply by the vector n to make sure it heads in the
rightdirection.
OR you can calculate it this way:


When a and b start at the origin point
(0,0,0), the Cross Product will end at:
c
x
= a
y
b
z
- a
z
b
y

c
y
= a
z
b
x
- a
x
b
z

c
z
= a
x
b
y
- a
y
b
x

They both work!

Example: What is the cross product of a = (2,3,4) and b = (5,6,7)

c
x
= a
y
b
z
- a
z
b
y
= 37 - 46 = -3
c
y
= a
z
b
x
- a
x
b
z
= 45 - 27 = 6
c
z
= a
x
b
y
- a
y
b
x
= 26 - 35 = -3

Answer: a b = (-3,6,-3)


Which Way?
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY
6 | P a g e

The cross product could point in the completely opposite direction and still be at right angles
to the two other vectors, so we have the:
"Right Hand Rule"
With your right-hand, point your index finger along vector a, and point your middle finger along
vector b: the cross product goes in the direction of your thumb.

Dot Product
The Cross Product gives a vector answer, and is sometimes called the "vector product"

Coulombs Law:

Introduction
The force between two point charges is
directly proportional to the magnitude of each charge (q
1
, q
2
),
inversely proportional to square of the separation between their centers (r),
directed along the separation vector connecting their centers (r).
This relationship is known as Coulomb's Law. Charles-Augustin Coulomb (17361806)
France. As an equation it is usually written in one of two forms
F = k
e

q
1
q
2

or F =
1

q
1
q
2


r
2
4
0
r
2


k
e
=
electrostatic constant
8.99 10
9
Nm
2
/C
2


0
=
vacuum permittivity
8.85 10
12
C
2
/Nm
2

Text:
When two charges have the same sign
their product is positive,
which means the force vector is directed with the separation vector (r)
and the action is repulsive.
When two charges have the opposite sign
their product is negative,
which means the force vector is directed against the separation vector (r)
and the action is attractive.

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD THEORY
7 | P a g e

Electric Field:
In physics, the space surrounding an electric charge or in the presence of a time-varying
magnetic field has a property called an electric field (that can also be equated to electric flux
density). This electric field exerts a force on other electrically charged objects.

It was stated that the electric field concept arose in an effort to explain action-at-a-distance
forces. All charged objects create an electric field that extends outward into the space that
surrounds it. The charge alters that space, causing any other charged object that enters the
space to be affected by this field. The strength of the electric field is dependent upon how
charged the object creating the field is and upon the distance of separation from the charged
object.

Electric Field Intensity:
Electric field strength is a vector quantity; it has both magnitude and direction. The
magnitude of the electric field strength is defined in terms of how it is measured. Let's
suppose that an electric charge can be denoted by the
symbol Q. This electric charge creates an electric field;
since Q is the source of the electric field, we will refer to it as
the source charge. The strength of the source charge's electric
field could be measured by any other charge placed somewhere
in its surroundings. The charge that is used to measure the electric field strength is referred
to as a test charge since it is used to test the field strength. The test charge has a quantity
of charge denoted by the symbol q. When placed within the electric field, the test charge will
experience an electric force - either attractive or repulsive. As is usually the case, this force
will be denoted by the symbol F. The magnitude of the electric field is simply defined as the
force per charge on the test charge.

If the electric field strength is denoted by the symbol E, then the equation can be rewritten in
symbolic form as