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On Magnetic Forces and Work

Barandes, Jacob A. (2021) On Magnetic Forces and Work. Foundations of Physics, 51 (4). p. 79.

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Abstract

We address a long-standing debate over whether classical magnetic forces can do work, ultimately answering the question in the affirmative. In detail, we couple a classical particle with intrinsic spin and elementary dipole moments to the electromagnetic field, derive the appropriate generalization of the Lorentz force law, show that the particle's dipole moments must be collinear with its spin axis, and argue that the magnetic field does mechanical work on the particle's elementary magnetic dipole moment. As consistency checks, we calculate the overall system's energy-momentum and angular momentum, and show that their local conservation equations lead to the same force law and therefore the same conclusions about magnetic forces and work. We also compute the system's Belinfante-Rosenfeld energy-momentum tensor.


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Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Barandes, Jacob A.jacob_barandes@harvard.edu0000-0002-3740-4418
Keywords: gauge theory, particle physics, spin, electromagnetism, relativistic multipole moments, conservation laws
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles
Specific Sciences > Physics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
Depositing User: Dr. Jacob Barandes
Date Deposited: 29 Jul 2023 20:37
Last Modified: 29 Jul 2023 20:37
Item ID: 22347
Journal or Publication Title: Foundations of Physics
Publisher: Springer
Official URL: https://rdcu.be/cn5yi
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.1007/s10701-021-00483-4
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Classical Physics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Fields and Particles
Specific Sciences > Physics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Quantum Mechanics
Specific Sciences > Physics > Relativity Theory
Specific Sciences > Physics > Symmetries/Invariances
Date: 9 July 2021
Page Range: p. 79
Volume: 51
Number: 4
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/22347

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