The electric potential of the system can be calculated by relating it to the electric charge densities that give rise to the electric potential. The differential form of Gauss's law expresses the electric field's divergence in terms of the electric charge density.

The first order operators using the del operator include the gradient, divergence and curl. Certain combinations of first order operators on a scalar or vector function yield second order expressions. Second-order expressions play a very important role in mathematics and physics. Some second order expressions include the divergence and curl of a gradient function, the divergence and curl of a curl function, and the gradient of a divergence function.
Consider a scalar function. The curl of its...

Transmission lines are essential components of electrical power systems. They are characterized by the distributed nature of resistance (R), inductance (L), and capacitance (C) per unit length. To analyze these lines, differential equations are employed to model the variations in voltage and current along the line.
Line Section Model
A circuit representing a line section of length Δx helps in understanding the transmission line parameters. The voltage V(x) and current i(x) are measured...

James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) was one of the significant contributors to physics in the nineteenth century. He is probably best known for having combined existing knowledge of the laws of electricity and the laws of magnetism with his insights to form a complete overarching electromagnetic theory, represented by Maxwell's equations. The four basic laws of electricity and magnetism were discovered experimentally through the work of physicists such as Oersted, Coulomb, Gauss, and...

An RLC circuit combines a resistor, inductor, and capacitor, connected in a series or parallel combination.
Consider a series RLC circuit. Here, the presence of resistance in the circuit leads to energy loss due to joule heating in the resistance. Therefore, the total electromagnetic energy in the circuit is no longer constant and decreases with time. Since the magnitude of charge, current, and potential difference continuously decreases, their oscillations are said to be damped. This is...

An RLC series circuit comprises an inductor, a resistor, and a charged capacitor connected in series. When the circuit is closed, the capacitor begins to discharge through the resistor and inductor by transferring energy from the electric field to the magnetic field. Here, the resistor connected to the circuit causes energy losses; therefore, on the complete discharge of the capacitor, the magnetic field energy acquired by the inductor is less than the original electric field energy of the...