Predictions[edit]

Weber dynamics has been used to explain various phenomena such as wires exploding when exposed to high currents.[4]

Limitations[edit]

Despite various efforts, a velocity-dependent and/or acceleration-dependent correction to Coulomb's law has never been observed, as described in the next section. Moreover, Hermann von Helmholtz observed that Weber electrodynamics predicted that under certain configurations charges can act as if they had negative inertial mass, which has also never been observed. (Some scientists have, however, disputed Helmholtz's argument.[5])

Experimental tests[edit]

Velocity-dependent tests[edit]

Velocity- and acceleration-dependent corrections to Maxwell's equations arise in Weber electrodynamics. The strongest limits on a new velocity-dependent term come from evacuating gasses from containers and observing whether the electrons become charged. However, because the electrons used to set these limits are Coulomb bound, renormalization effects may cancel the velocity-dependent corrections. Other searches have spun current-carrying solenoids, observed metals as they cooled, and used superconductors to obtain a large drift velocity.[6] None of these searches have observed any discrepancy from Coulomb's law. Observing the charge of particle beams provides weaker bounds, but tests the velocity-dependent corrections to Maxwell's equations for particles with higher velocities.[7][8]

Acceleration-dependent tests[edit]

Test charges inside a spherical conducting shell will experience different behaviors depending on the force law the test charge is subject to.[9] By measuring the oscillation frequency of a neon lamp inside a spherical conductor biased to a high voltage, this can be tested. Again, no significant deviations from the Maxwell theory have been observed.

Relation to quantum electrodynamics[edit]

Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is perhaps the most stringently tested theory in physics, with highly nontrivial predictions verified to an accuracy better than 10 parts per billion: See precision tests of QED. Since Maxwell's equations can be derived as the classical limit of the equations of QED,[10] it follows that if QED is correct (as is widely believed by mainstream physicists), then Maxwell's equations and the Lorentz force law are correct too.

Although it has been demonstrated that, in certain aspects, the Weber force formula is consistent with Maxwell's equations and the Lorentz force,[11] they are not exactly equivalent—and more specifically, they make various contradictory predictions[2][3][4][9] as described above. Therefore, they cannot both be correct.

Further reading[edit]

• André Koch Torres Assis: Weber's electrodynamics. Kluwer Acad. Publ., Dordrecht 1994, ISBN 0-7923-3137-0.

References[edit]

• ^ Most (perhaps all) popular textbooks on classical electromagnetism do not mention Weber electrodynamics. Instead, they present Maxwell's equations as the uncontroversial foundation of classical electromagnetism. Four examples are: Classical electrodynamics by J.D. Jackson (3rd ed., 1999); Introduction to electrodynamics by D. J. Griffiths (3rd ed., 1999); Physics for students of science and engineering by D. Halliday and R. Resnick (part 2, 2nd ed., 1962); The Feynman Lectures on Physics by Feynman, Leighton, and Sands, [1]

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• a b c d Assis, AKT; HT Silva (September 2000). "Comparison between Weber's electrodynamics and classical electrodynamics". Pramana. 55 (3): 393–404. Bibcode:2000Prama..55..393A. doi:10.1007/s12043-000-0069-2. S2CID 14848996.

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• a b Assis, AKT; JJ Caluzi (1991). "A limitation of Weber's law". Physics Letters A. 160 (1): 25–30. Bibcode:1991PhLA..160...25A. doi:10.1016/0375-9601(91)90200-R.

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• a b Wesley, JP (1990). "Weber electrodynamics, part I. general theory, steady current effects". Foundations of Physics Letters. 3 (5): 443–469. Bibcode:1990FoPhL...3..443W. doi:10.1007/BF00665929. S2CID 122235702.

• ^ JJ Caluzi; AKT Assis (1997). "A critical analysis of Helmholtz's argument against Weber's electrodynamics". Foundations of Physics. 27 (10): 1445–1452. Bibcode:1997FoPh...27.1445C. doi:10.1007/BF02551521. S2CID 53471560.

• ^ Lemon, DK; WF Edwards; CS Kenyon (1992). "Electric potentials associated with steady currents in superconducting coils". Physics Letters A. 162 (2): 105–114. Bibcode:1992PhLA..162..105L. doi:10.1016/0375-9601(92)90985-U.

• ^ Walz, DR; HR Noyes (April 1984). "Calorimetric test of special relativity". Physical Review A. 29 (1): 2110–2114. Bibcode:1984PhRvA..29.2110W. doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.29.2110. OSTI 1446354.

• ^ Bartlett, DF; BFL Ward (15 December 1997). "Is an electron's charge independent of its velocity?". Physical Review D. 16 (12): 3453–3458. Bibcode:1977PhRvD..16.3453B. doi:10.1103/physrevd.16.3453.

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• a b Junginger, JE; ZD Popovic (2004). "An experimental investigation of the influence of an electrostatic potential on electron mass as predicted by Weber's force law". Can. J. Phys. 82 (9): 731–735. Bibcode:2004CaJPh..82..731J. doi:10.1139/p04-046.

• ^ Peskin, M.; Schroeder, D. (1995). An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory. Westview Press. ISBN 0-201-50397-2. Section 4.1.

• ^ E.T. Kinzer and J. Fukai (1996). "Weber's force and Maxwell's equations". Found. Phys. Lett. 9 (5): 457. Bibcode:1996FoPhL...9..457K. doi:10.1007/BF02190049. S2CID 121825743.