In reply to Joshua Cude's message of Wed, 25 May 2011 17:54:32 -0500: Hi, [snip] >Maxwell's equations were developed to describe laboratory electricity and >magnetism experiments.
...from which the peculiar perpendicular nature of the phenomenon was already evident. >The resulting equations then predicted the existence >of electromagnetic waves with the correct speed. As Maxwell put it: "The >conclusion was inescapable: light is an electromagnetic disturbance in the >form of waves propogated in the ether." True. >The equations also require that the >field are perpendicular. I think that was already evident from the experiments, and the maths was designed specifically to encompass this fact (otherwise it would have yielded incorrect results). Note that Maxwell actually brought together the work done by a number of others and created an encompassing mathematical treatment of their work, but the perpendicular aspect was already in that work. Regards, Robin van Spaandonk http://rvanspaa.freehostia.com/project.html
