The Maxwell Stress Tensor is a mathematical construct used in electromagnetism to describe the density of mechanical momentum in an electromagnetic field. It is particularly useful for analyzing the forces acting on charges and currents in electromagnetic fields. The tensor is defined as:
where is the electric field vector, is the magnetic field vector, is the permittivity of free space, is the permeability of free space, and is the identity matrix. The tensor encapsulates the contributions of both electric and magnetic fields to the electromagnetic force per unit volume. By using the Maxwell Stress Tensor, one can calculate the force exerted on surfaces in electromagnetic fields, facilitating a deeper understanding of interactions within devices like motors and generators.
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