Electrodynamics: The Field-Free Approach

Prerequisites and Target Audience

Although electrodynamics is described in this book from its first principles, prior
knowledge of about one semester of university studies in mathematics and physics
is required, including vector algebra, integral and differential calculus as well as a
course in mechanics, treating Newton’s laws and the energy principle. The target
groups are teachers, engineering and physics students as well as professionals in the
field, e.g. high-school teachers and employees in the telecom industry. Also
chemistry and computer science students may benefit from the book.

Study Tips

Learning physics inevitably implies active involvement, especially in problem-
solving and experimental studies. We recommend that the discussed experiments

also be implemented in practice, not least to avoid tendencies to abstraction.
Some of the exercises, marked with an asterisk, are included in the theory of the
book and need to be solved before the chapter that follows them. The exercises
marked with a ‘C’ are more challenging and normally not suitable for independent
problem solving.
A solution manual is included in Appendix D.

Website
The book has a website where you will find reader comments, recommended
Internet links, videos on relevant experiments/phenomena, further exercises and
suggested laboratory work. Please consult the publisher’s website to obtain the
relevant web address.

Download: Electrodynamics: The Field-Free Approach

Acknowledgment

I want to express my gratitude to all students who contributed so much to the
courses I have given over the years, including everything from basic and advanced
electromagnetic courses to theory of relativity and application courses in Antenna
and Microwave engineering at different levels in different study programs. The
reflections, comments and questions I have received from them have been of crucial
importance for my own development and the genesis of this book. I would also like
to thank my colleagues for many intense and fruitful discussions on Physics in
general and its role in society. Many interesting conversations with lecturers Göran
Nordström on the subject’s didactics and Peter Johansson on the connection
between relativity and electrodynamics have been indispensable for me. The latter
coined the term ‘motional consequence’ which is diligently used in this book. Many
thanks to Dr. Jenny Ivarsson for a thorough scientific review of a first version of this
book and to engineering student Nicklas Bjärnhall Prytz for indispensable advice on
pedagogical issues as well as for making this book readable in English.

This book was originally published in Swedish and is available from its pub-
lisher Studentlitteratur. I appreciate all their support during the work, in particular with the drawing of the figures. Finally, I would like to thank the Springer staff for all their support during the
translation and revision of the book.

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