Engineering Commons^™

Teaching Electromagnetic Field Theory Using Differential Forms, Karl F. Warnick, Richard H. Selfridge, David V. Arnold

Faculty Publications

The calculus of differential forms has significant advantages over traditional methods as a tool for teaching electromagnetic (EM) field theory. First, films clarify the relationship between field intensity and flux density, by providing distinct mathematical and graphical representations for the two types of fields. Second, Ampere's and Faraday's laws obtain graphical representations that are as intuitive as the representation of Gauss's law. Third, the vector Stokes theorem and the divergence theorem become special cases of a single relationship that is easier for the student to remember, apply, and visualize than their vector formulations. Fourth, computational simplifications result from the use …