ESA - Science on Stage - Let's prove the 4th Maxwell Equation

Teaching electro-magnetism is sometimesnot easy. Even if today it is possible to realise many experiments that prove a lot of laws, it is difficult to show that a time-varying electric field generates a magnetic field. We want to fill this hole by building a cheap device that highlights this phenomena. The core of the system is a big condenser with two circular plates separated by a polystyrene dielectric. By applying a medium frequency sinusoidal voltage, we compare the magnetic field near the dielectric with the magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the conductors connected to the condenser (at the same distance from the axis of the system) showing that its amplitude does not vary, according to the displacement current concept. TO understand the experiment, it is necessary to understand other electromagnetic phenomena (i.e. Biot-Savart and Faraday induction laws) that are demonstrated by a preliminary set of classical experiments. These lab activities were proposed by the students of a secondary school. The tests submitted to the students highlighted a good understanding of the displacement current concept.

Contact details

Name	Carla Lesion
Email	carlalesino@libero.it

Last update: 17 July 2007

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The 4th Maxwell Equation PPT