LIGHT, CHARGES AND BRAINS: LIQUID ELECTRICITY, INVISIBLE FIELDS AND

MAXIMUM SPEED

The emission of light, the formation of colors and the working of our nerves and brains
are due to electrical processes.

Field is space that exerts forces. There are three types

of fields.

Electric field. Objects The field surrounding the The field around a mobile
surrounded by a permanent mineral found in Magnesia is phone is called a radio field or,
electric field are called called a magnetic field and the electromagnetic field. Objects
electrets, it can be certain objects producing one are that emit oscillating fields, such
crystals or polymers. called magnets. Most magnets, as mobile phones or lamps,
but not all, are made are called radio transmitters or
from metals. electromagnetic emitters

We can visualize electric fields either as a tiny arrow or vector attached to

every point of space, or as a bundle of lines in every region of space

There are two different types of electric charge. Bodies of the same charge
repel each other, and bodies of different charge attract each other. There are
two charge signs, negative and positive.

Charge can flow: it is then called an electric current.

The worst conductors of current are polymers; they are called insulators or dielectrics

Metals are good conductors; a charge placed on a conductor spreads all over its surface,
the best conductors are silver and copper.

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Charge thus determines the motion of bodies in electric fields.

The unit of charge: the Coulomb (C)

It is described by a direction
It forms lines in space. The electric field
and a magnitude

The local magnitude of the field is given The direction and the magnitude do not
by the local density of the field lines. depend on the observer.

The electric field have two main properties: they

contain energy and they can polarize bodies.

On the other hand, magnetismmust be related to the motion of electric charges. If magnetismis
related to motion, it must be possible to use magnetism and electricity to move matter.

The magnetic field is defined and measured by its influence moving charges

The unit of the magnetic field is called Tesla and is abbreviated T. We have 1 T = 1Ns/Cm

A moving magnet In 1831, Michael Faraday discovered an additional piece Magnetism is

causes a current flow in formed by electricity and magnetism, one that even the great relativistic
an electrical circuit. Ampere had overlooked. He found that: electricity.

The uses of electromagnetic effects are

Mechanical energy Light, as in Chemical effects Radio wave Coldness, as in

as motors. lamps. like the brain. signals. refrigerators.
 THE DESCRIPTION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD EVOLUTION

In 1880, Heaviside and Hertz extracted the main points of Maxwell ideas. The motion of
the electromagnetic field is described by a set of evolution equations.

The first field equation of The second field equation

electrodynamics of electrodynamics

This is the precise statement that electromagnetic In the nature there are not magnetic
fields originate at charges, and nowhere else. charges (no magnetic monopoles)

If we know where charges are and how they

Changes in magnetic fields
move, we can determine the electromagnetic field that
produce electric fields
it generate.

Maxwells equations contain:

Electric charges follow Coulombs rule.
Electric charges moves slower than light.
Electric charges are conserved.
Magnetic charges do not exist.

Energy and moment of the electromagnetic field.

The energy of the The Poynting vector thus describes the energy The electromagnetic field has
electromagnetic field is flowing per area per time, in other words, the power per linear and angular
quadratic form. area, its units are: W/m2. momentumand energy,
with well-defined values.
 What it is the difference between electric and magnetic fields?

Electric fields have sources, and magnetic fields do not.

Magnetic fields are small relativistic effects of importance only when
charge velocities are high or when electrical fields cancel out.

On the other hand

The brain: the toughest challenge for electrodynamics

Researchers must find ways to model the thought process and the technology
to measure the currents in the brain must be extended.

Research using computer tomography, PET scans and MRI imaging has shown
that the distinction between the conscious and the unconscious can be
measured: it has a biological basis

The whole programme would be complete as soon as, in a distant future, a

sensitive measuring apparatus could detect what is going on inside the brain
and then could deduce or read the thoughts of a person from these
measurements.
 WHAT IS LIGHT?

Light is an electromagnetic wave.

Then

Electromagnetic waves must show interference, as all linear waves do.

Linearity also implies that two waves can cross each other without disturbing
each other, and that electromagnetic waves can travel undisturbed across
static electromagnetic fields.

Light is a wave Light is an electromagnetic wave.

In 1678 Christiaan Huygens was the first to The most convincing proof would be to
suggest that light is a wave; this can confirm with repeat Hertzs experiments for light; they
your fingers. The interference patterns depend on could clearly discern the maxima and
the spacing between the fingers.This experiment minima of waves, as well as their
therefore allows you to estimate the wavelength polarization. They thus showed that light is
of light, and thus, if you know its speed, its an electromagnetic wave in exactly the
frequency. same way as Hertz did for radio waves.

Jazmn Lizeth Ordez Sandoval. Fsica II. Grupo 17. Universidad de La Salle.