The Electric Field Outside a Stationary Resistive Wire Carrying a Constant Current

A. K. T. Assis; W. A. Rodrigues; A. J. Mania

doi:10.1023/A:1018874523513

Foundations of Physics

May 1999, Volume 29, Issue 5, pp 729–753

The Electric Field Outside a Stationary Resistive Wire Carrying a Constant Current

Authors

A. K. T. Assis,
W. A. RodriguesJr.,
A. J. Mania

Article

DOI: 10.1023/A:1018874523513

Cite this article as:: Assis, A.K.T., Rodrigues, W.A. & Mania, A.J. Foundations of Physics (1999) 29: 729. doi:10.1023/A:1018874523513

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Abstract

We present the opinion of some authors who believe there is no force between a stationary charge and a stationary resistive wire carrying a constant current. We show that this force is different from zero and present its main components: the force due to the charges induced in the wire by the test charge and a force proportional to the current in the resistive wire. We also discuss briefly a component of the force proportional to the square of the current which should exist according to some models and another component due to the acceleration of the conduction electrons in a curved wire carrying a dc current (centripetal acceleration). Finally, we analyze experiments showing the existence of the electric field proportional to the current in resistive wires.

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The Electric Field Outside a Stationary Resistive Wire Carrying a Constant Current

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