The Electric Field in Various Circumstances (Continued): Feynman's Physics Explained
The equations of electrostatics turn up far beyond charges. For two-dimensional problems there is a powerful method using functions of a complex variable, where the real and imaginary parts of any smooth function automatically solve the field equations. We also see the same equations in motion — as in plasma oscillations, where displaced electrons in an ionized gas are pulled back and oscillate at a characteristic 'plasma frequency.'
The big idea
The same field equations reappear in surprising new settings.
Think about it
Why is it useful that one set of equations describes many different physical situations?
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