Asymmetries in

Maxwells
Electrodynamics
W. J. Wilson
Department of Engineering &
Physics
University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, OK 73034
Web:
www.physics.uco.edu/wwilson
Email: wwilson@uco.edu

ON THE ELECTRODYNAMICS OF MOVING

BODIES
By A. EINSTEIN

It is known that Maxwell's electrodynamics - as usually

understood at the present time - when applied to moving
bodies, leads to asymmetries which do not appear to be
inherent in the phenomena.
Take, for example, the reciprocal electrodynamic action of a
magnet and a conductor. The observable phenomenon here
depends only on the relative motion of the conductor and the
magnet, whereas the customary view draws a sharp
distinction between the two cases in which either the one or
the other of these bodies is in motion. For if the magnet is in
motion and the conductor at rest, there arises in the
neighborhood of the magnet an electric field with a certain
definite energy, producing a current at the places where parts
of the conductor are situated. But if the magnet is stationary
and the conductor in motion, no electric field arises in the
neighborhood of the magnet. In the conductor, however, we
find an electromotive force, to which in itself there is no
corresponding
Engineering energy, but which gives rise - assuming
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Motionless Magnet/Galvanom

When there is no
relative motion, there is
no current indicated by
the galvanometer:
B = Const. B/t = 0 E =
0.
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Moving bar magnet

Moving Magnet
generates time change of

r
magnetic field.
B
t

Variable magnetic field, in

turn, generates induced
electric field according to
the Maxwell's equation:
r

r
B
E
t

inside the coil that moves free electrons of the coil

producing induced current through the galvanometer,
whose needle is moving left and right.
Engineering

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Moving Coil
When bar magnet stands still,
there is no time variation of
magnetic field and there is no
induced electric field,
according to Maxwell's
equations:
This is obviously
inconsistent being
that the two last
cases are
equivalent and
they should be
described by same
Engineering
fundamental

B = Const. B/t = 0
E=0
However, the galvanometer
needle is equally moving left
and right. This phenomenon is
now explained by the Lorentz's
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Scientists were aware of this asymmetry of Maxwell's

equations at the beginning of the 20th century. Hertz
proposed a variant of Maxwell's equations (H.R. Hertz,
Electric Waves), that differed slightly from Maxwell's
original form (partial derivatives were substituted by
total ones), and that did not "lead to asymmetries" as
mentioned by Einstein and are invariant to Galilean
E 4
E 4
transformations.

B 0

B 0

1 B
E
c t
4
1 E
B
J
c
c t

1 dB
E
c dt
4
1 dE
B
J
c
c dt

Maxwell
Electrodynamics

Engineering

Hertz Electrodynamics
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Moving Frames
Let's now append a truck to the
previous experiment. Let's take
into consideration that part of
the case when bar magnet SN
moves toward the coil, say by
the velocity v1 = 3m/s. For the
blue observer O1 on the
illustration, the galvanometer
needle turns due to induced
electric field that pushes
electrons in the coil. Let's now
take that this observer with all
his gadgets is inside a truck that
moves by the opposite velocity
v2 = -v1 = -3m/s.
For another observer O2 outside
the truck, the bar magnet is
standing still, while the coil is
moving Engineering
toward the bar. For that

In other words, the same

physical event is described by
two different equations, i.e. by
two different physical laws.
Namely, in the first case by the
low of electromagnetic
induction, and in the second
case by the low of Lorentz force.
Thus, it is violated one of the
fundamental postulate of
physics:
The laws of physics are the
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Moving Truck and Special

Relativity
Using Special
Relativity, we'll
start with green observer O2,
since E2 = 0 in the coil for him
Now get the electric field in
the coil inside the reference
frame of the blue observer O1.
Applying relativity
transformations
2, we get:
E =E +on
v E
B/c,
1

Since: E2=0, we get, finally:

E1=v2B/c.

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From these results we can deduce the

conclusions

Expressions for relativistic transformation of

electric and magnetic field:
E1=E2*+v2B/c, B1=B2*v2E/c,

it may be seen that they comprise just those

parts missing from Maxwell's equations that are
included in Hertzian equations:
dB
B
B

E

v B
v B

t
t

1 dE
1 E
1 E 1

B 0 J 2
0 J 2
v E 0 J 2
2 v E
c dt
c t
c t c

dt

If the bar magnet moved by a non-uniform

velocity, it would be inappropriate to use special
relativity for it is valid just for uniform
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Faraday Homopolar Generator

d
Asymmetry
Faraday noticed that
Copper Disk

Permanent
Magnet

Engineering

only the rotation of

the copper disk
above the magnet
influences the
generated potential.
The rotation of the
permanent magnet
does not affect the
magnitude of
generated potential
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Action-Reaction Asymmetry
1 q2 v 2 R
B2
c
R2
q1q2
F12 2 2 v1 v 2 R
c R
1 q1 v1 R
B1
c R2
q2 q1
F21 2 2 v 2 v1 R
c R

v1
F12 q1 B2 ,
c

v2
F21 q2 B1 ,
c

v1
1
R

F21 F21

v2
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References
H.R. Hertz, Electric Waves: Being researches on
the Propagation of Electric Action with Finite
Velocity through Space, Cornell University Press
(1893) ISBN: 1429740361
Petrovic Branko, Lorentz's Force,
http://www.angelfire.com/sc3/elmag/files/MaxLor.ht
ml
H.Aspden, Electromagnetic Reaction Paradox ,
Lettere Al Nuovo Cimento 39, 247 (1984).
Engineering

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References
H.R. Hertz, Electric Waves: Being researches on
the Propagation of Electric Action with Finite
Velocity through Space, Cornell University Press
(1893) ISBN: 1429740361
Petrovic Branko, Lorentz's Force,
http://www.angelfire.com/sc3/elmag/files/MaxLor.ht
ml
H.Aspden, Electromagnetic Reaction Paradox ,
Lettere Al Nuovo Cimento 39, 247 (1984).
Engineering &
Physics

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