Chapter 2

Electromagnetic units and equations

Consider units of mass, length, time defined and independent. The Coulomb law is
q1 q2
F12 = k1 2
(2.1)
r12
Because the unit of force is defined through units of mass, length, and time

[F ] = [m][l][t]−2 ; (2.2)

we should have

[m][l][t]−2 = [k1 ][q]2 [l]−2 (2.3)

Then, if the unit of charge is independently defined the constant k1 can be calculated. On the other hand, if k1 is chosen, this
defines the unit of charge. Anyway, the dimension of k1 should be such that

[k1 ][q]2 = [m][l]3 [t]−2 (2.4)

The electric field intensity could be defined as the force per unit of charge
q2
E = k1 2
(2.5)
r12
Similarly, the force per unit length between two infinitely long, parallel wires separated by a distance d and carrying currents I1
and I2 is
dF I1 I2
= 2k2 (2.6)
dl d
From the previous equation, one can express the unit of force as

[F ] = [m][l][t]−2 = [k2 ][q]2 [t]−2 (2.7)

and, by comparing (2.3) and (2.7) we find a relation between the dimensions of k2 and k1

k1 [l]2
[q]2 [t]−2 [k2 ] = [q]2 [l]−2 [k1 ], = 2 (2.8)
k2 [t]

By comparing the magnitude of the forces in (2.1), and respectively (2.6) for two known charges and currents gives in fact
k1
= c 2. (2.9)
k2
where c is the velocity if light in vacuum. The magnetic field is defined as proportional to the force per unit current, i.e.
I1
B = 2k2 α (2.10)
d

2-1
with a constant of proportionality, so the dimensions of E and B should obey
[E ] [q] [l][t] [l]
= [l]2 [t]−2 2 = (2.11)
[B] [l] [q][α] [t][α]

Another constant appears in the Faraday’s law of induction, whose differential form is
∂B
∇ × E + k3 =0 (2.12)
∂t
The dimension of [k3 ] is obtained from the requirement that both terms in the previous equation have the same dimension

[k3 ] = [α]−1 . (2.13)

In fact one can prove that

1
k3 = (2.14)
α
There are 4 constants k1 , k2 , k3 , α, with two relations between them (2.9,2.14); different choices lead to different systems of units.

System k1 k2 k3 α
Electrostatic (cgs) 1 c −2 1 1
Electromagnetic (cgs) c2 1 1 1
Gauss (cgs) 1 c −2 c c −1
1 µ0
SI (mks) 4πǫ0 4π 1 1

2.1 Bibliography
[1] J. D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics, Wiley; 3rd edition (August 10, 1998), Appendix on units and dimensions

2-2