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How do we describe this topic mathematically.  
How do we describe this topic mathematically.  
 
:<math>{\frac{d\vec{p}}{dt}}_{system} = \vec{F}_{net}</math>
:{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" width="80%" style="text-align:left"
!Outline of proof
|-
|[[Coulomb's law]] states that the electric field due to a stationary [[point charge]] is:
 
:<math>\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) = \frac{q}{4\pi \varepsilon_0} \frac{\mathbf{e_r}}{r^2}</math>
where
where
:'''e<sub>r</sub>''' is the radial [[unit vector]],
:'''p''' is the momentum of the system and '''F''' is the net force from the surroundings.
:''r'' is the radius, |'''r'''|,
:<math>\varepsilon_0</math> is the [[electric constant]],
:''q'' is the charge of the particle, which is assumed to be located at the [[origin (mathematics)|origin]].
 
Using the expression from Coulomb's law, we get the total field at '''r''' by using an integral to sum the field at '''r''' due to the infinitesimal charge at each other point '''s''' in space, to give
 
:<math>\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \int \frac{\rho(\mathbf{s})(\mathbf{r}-\mathbf{s})}{|\mathbf{r}-\mathbf{s}|^3} \,  d^3 \mathbf{s}</math>
 
where <math>\rho</math> is the charge density. If we take the divergence of both sides of this equation with respect to '''r''', and use the known theorem<ref>See, for example, {{cite book | author=Griffiths, David J. | title=Introduction to Electrodynamics (4th ed.) | publisher=Prentice Hall | year=2013 | page=50 }}</ref>
 
:<math>\nabla \cdot \left(\frac{\mathbf{r}}{|\mathbf{r}|^3}\right) = 4\pi \delta(\mathbf{r})</math>
 
where ''δ''('''r''') is the [[Dirac delta function]], the result is
 
:<math>\nabla\cdot\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) = \frac{1}{\varepsilon_0} \int \rho(\mathbf{s})\ \delta(\mathbf{r}-\mathbf{s})\, d^3 \mathbf{s}</math>
 
Using the "[[Dirac delta function#Translation|sifting<!--Note: This is not a typo, the word is really 'sifting' not 'shifting'--> property]]" of the Dirac delta function, we arrive at
 
:<math>\nabla\cdot\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{r}) = \frac{\rho(\mathbf{r})}{\varepsilon_0},</math>
 
which is the differential form of Gauss's law, as desired.
|}


===A Computational Model===
===A Computational Model===

Revision as of 15:54, 13 October 2015

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A Mathematical Model

How do we describe this topic mathematically.

[math]\displaystyle{ {\frac{d\vec{p}}{dt}}_{system} = \vec{F}_{net} }[/math]

where

p is the momentum of the system and F is the net force from the surroundings.

A Computational Model

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