< Electrodynamics

Force on a Charge

When we want to discuss the force on a charge due to a charge distribution, there are two options. The first is a more traditional method: an integral over a volume containing the charge distribution. The second method is less traditional but is easier to do: a surface integral over a special stress tensor.

Volume Integral Version

Electrostatic Stress Tensor

Surface Integral Version

The Maxwell Stress Tensor

Tij is called the Maxwell Stress Tensor, it has two indices and is not a vector so is given a double arrow.

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