A relativistic approach to teaching electrodynamics: Analysis of conductor interactions and relativistic foundations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55056/seq.917Keywords:
electrodynamics teaching, special theory of relativity, conductors with current, relativistic effects, electromagnetic interactions, current neutrality condition, physics education methodology, Maxwell's equations, fundamentalization of educationAbstract
This paper extends our relativistic framework for teaching electrodynamics in higher educational institutions. Building upon our previous work on deriving Maxwell's equations from first principles - the principle of relativity and Coulomb's law - we examine persistent contradictions in conventional electrodynamics teaching regarding conductors with constant current. We analyze the stationary electric field of current-carrying conductors, resolve contradictions concerning its potentiality, and explain the experimental non-observability of non-potential components through relativistic compensation effects. The paper addresses and resolves inconsistencies in the literature regarding the condition of neutrality for conductors with current, proposing a physically consistent condition: ρ⁰₊ = -ρ⁰₋. Within this framework, we develop a relativistic description of the interaction between conductors with current that satisfies both the principle of relativity and physical adaptation requirements. This approach aligns with the fundamentalization of physics education, providing a theoretically robust alternative to traditional empirical methods of teaching electrodynamics. The proposed methodology creates a conceptually unified framework that better reflects modern physics while addressing existing inconsistencies in pedagogical literature, transforming how electromagnetism is taught in higher educational institutions.
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Accepted 2025-03-07
Published 2025-04-25
