Electricity, Relativity and Magnetism : A Unified Text

Electricity, Relativity and Magnetism: A Unified Text presents thefirst complete and systematic derivation of the principles ofmagnetism and electromagnetism from Coulomb s law and the theory ofspecial relativity alone. Most books on magnetism introduce thesubject in terms of experimental observations, as if magnetism weredistinct from, albeit associated with, electricity. The topic ofrelativity is often mentioned, but almost as an afterthought,rather than as a crucial element of the argument. In this new bookfrom Dr Derek Craik, the important links between electricity andmagnetism, via special relativity, are emphasized, leading thereader to a more meaningful and profound understanding of thesubject. Electricity, Relativity and Magnetism: A Unified Text gives asimple and brief review of Einstein s special theory of relativity,emphasizing force transformations. An outline of electrostatics,Coulomb s law and its consequences, is also given and is shown tolead to the basis of magnetostatics. Time-dependent electromagneticeffects are introduced naturally via the transformation equationsfor fields and for potentials, and Maxwell s equations aresystematically derived. Magnetic dipoles and magnetization areshown to arise on transforming electric dipoles and polarizations.The author next discusses the application of the theory topractical magnetic calculations, and finally goes on to introducethe quantum theory of magnetism. The concept of spin is introduced,leading to spin statics and magnetic ordering, and spin dynamicsand resonances. An account of crystal field theory is included. Allwhose work and research involves the understanding of magneticphenomena will find Electricity, Relativity and Magnetism: AUnified Text an invaluable resource which will enhance and deepentheir understanding of the subject.