Chapter 5: Electromagnetic Potentials

and Topics for Circuits and Systems

5.1 Gradient, Laplacian, and Potential Functions
5.2 Potential Functions for Static Fields
5.3 Poisson’s and Laplace’s Equations
5.4 Capacitance, Conductance, and Inductance

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5.1 Gradient, Laplacian, and Potential Functions
(1) Gradient:

B can be expressed as the curl of a vector.

Thus B =   A

A is known as magnetic vector potential 2

5.1 Gradient, Laplacian, and Potential Functions
(1) Gradient:
 B
B =   A  × E= ×−E =( − × A)
t t
 A  A 
Then  × E = − (  × A ) = − ×  ×E+ =0
t t  t 
A
A= − × A
E+ = − t E = −  −
t t
 is known as the electric scalar potential.

    
 =  a x + a y + az  
 x y z 
  
= ax + ay + az gradient of 
x y z

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 5.1 Gradient, Laplacian, and Potential Functions
(1) Gradient:
The gradient is defined in such a manner
that the increment in  from a point P to
a neighboring point Q

  = Maximum rate of increase of 

an = direction of the maximum rate of increase, which

occurs normal to the constant  surface.

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5.1 Gradient, Laplacian, and Potential Functions
(2) Potential Function Equations:

Lorenz condition

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5.1 Gradient, Laplacian, and Potential Functions
(3) Laplacian of scalar:

(4) Laplacian of vector: