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TheMaxwell stress tensor (named afterJames Clerk Maxwell) is a symmetric second-ordertensor in three dimensions that is used inclassical electromagnetism to represent the interaction between electromagnetic forces andmechanical momentum. In simple situations, such as a point charge moving freely in a homogeneous magnetic field, it is easy to calculate the forces on the charge from theLorentz force law. When the situation becomes more complicated, this ordinary procedure can become impractically difficult, with equations spanning multiple lines. It is therefore convenient to collect many of these terms in the Maxwell stress tensor, and to use tensor arithmetic to find the answer to the problem at hand.

In the relativistic formulation of electromagnetism, the nine components of the Maxwell stress tensor appear, negated, as components of theelectromagnetic stress–energy tensor, which is the electromagnetic component of the totalstress–energy tensor. The latter describes the density and flux of energy and momentum inspacetime.

As outlined below, the electromagnetic force is written in terms of${\displaystyle \mathbf{E}}$ and${\displaystyle \mathbf{B}}$. Usingvector calculus andMaxwell's equations, symmetry is sought for in the terms containing${\displaystyle \mathbf{E}}$ and${\displaystyle \mathbf{B}}$, and introducing the Maxwell stress tensor simplifies the result.

Maxwell's equations in SI units invacuum
(for reference)

Name	Differential form
Gauss's law (in vacuum)	${\displaystyle \mathbf{\nabla }\cdot \mathbf{E}=\frac{\rho }{{\epsilon }_0}}$
Gauss's law for magnetism	${\displaystyle \mathbf{\nabla }\cdot \mathbf{B}=0}$
Maxwell–Faraday equation (Faraday's law of induction)	${\displaystyle \mathbf{\nabla }\times \mathbf{E}=-\frac{\mathrm{\partial }\mathbf{B}}{\mathrm{\partial }t}}$
Ampère's circuital law (in vacuum) (with Maxwell's correction)	${\displaystyle \mathbf{\nabla }\times \mathbf{B}={\mu }_0\mathbf{J}+{\mu }_0{\epsilon }_0\frac{\mathrm{\partial }\mathbf{E}}{\mathrm{\partial }t}}$

in the above relation for conservation of momentum,${\displaystyle \mathbf{\nabla }\cdot \mathit{\sigma }}$ is themomentum flux density and plays a role similar to${\displaystyle \mathbf{S}}$ inPoynting's theorem.

The above derivation assumes complete knowledge of both${\displaystyle \rho }$ and${\displaystyle \mathbf{J}}$ (both free and bounded charges and currents). For the case of nonlinear materials (such as magnetic iron with a B–H-curve), the nonlinear Maxwell stress tensor must be used.^[1]

Inphysics, theMaxwell stress tensor is thestress tensor of anelectromagnetic field. As derived above, it is given by:

${\displaystyle {\sigma }_{ij}={ϵ}_0{E}_i{E}_j+\frac{1}{{\mu }_0}{B}_i{B}_j-\frac{1}{2}\left({ϵ}_0{E}^2+\frac{1}{{\mu }_0}{B}^2\right){\delta }_{ij}}$,

where${\displaystyle {ϵ}_0}$ is theelectric constant and${\displaystyle {\mu }_0}$ is themagnetic constant,${\displaystyle \mathbf{E}}$ is theelectric field,${\displaystyle \mathbf{B}}$ is themagnetic field and${\displaystyle {\delta }_{ij}}$ isKronecker's delta. In theGaussian system, it is given by:

${\displaystyle {\sigma }_{ij}=\frac{1}{4\pi }\left(E_i{E}_j+H_i{H}_j-\frac{1}{2}\left(E^2+H^2\right){\delta }_{ij}\right)}$,

where${\displaystyle \mathbf{H}}$ is themagnetizing field.

An alternative way of expressing this tensor is:

${\displaystyle \overleftrightarrow{\mathit{\sigma }}=\frac{1}{4\pi }\left[\mathbf{E}\otimes \mathbf{E}+\mathbf{H}\otimes \mathbf{H}-\frac{E^2+H^2}{2}\mathbb{I}\right]}$

where${\displaystyle \otimes }$ is thedyadic product, and the last tensor is the unit dyad:

The element${\displaystyle ij}$ of the Maxwell stress tensor has units of momentum per unit of area per unit time and gives the flux of momentum parallel to the${\displaystyle i}$th axis crossing a surface normal to the${\displaystyle j}$th axis (in the negative direction) per unit of time.

These units can also be seen as units of force per unit of area (negative pressure), and the${\displaystyle ij}$ element of the tensor can also be interpreted as the force parallel to the${\displaystyle i}$th axis suffered by a surface normal to the${\displaystyle j}$th axis per unit of area. Indeed, the diagonal elements give thetension (pulling) acting on a differential area element normal to the corresponding axis. Unlike forces due to the pressure of an ideal gas, an area element in the electromagnetic field also feels a force in a direction that is not normal to the element. This shear is given by the off-diagonal elements of the stress tensor.

It has recently been shown that the Maxwell stress tensor is the real part of a more general complex electromagnetic stress tensor whose imaginary part accounts for reactive electrodynamical forces.^[2]

If the field is only magnetic (which is largely true in motors, for instance), some of the terms drop out, and the equation in SI units becomes:

${\displaystyle {\sigma }_{ij}=\frac{1}{{\mu }_0}{B}_i{B}_j-\frac{1}{2{\mu }_0}{B}^2{\delta }_{ij}.}$

For cylindrical objects, such as the rotor of a motor, this is further simplified to:

${\displaystyle {\sigma }_{rt}=\frac{1}{{\mu }_0}{B}_r{B}_t-\frac{1}{2{\mu }_0}{B}^2{\delta }_{rt}.}$

where${\displaystyle r}$ is the shear in the radial (outward from the cylinder) direction, and${\displaystyle t}$ is the shear in the tangential (around the cylinder) direction. It is the tangential force which spins the motor.${\displaystyle B_r}$ is the flux density in the radial direction, and${\displaystyle B_t}$ is the flux density in the tangential direction.

Inelectrostatics the effects of magnetism are not present. In this case the magnetic field vanishes, i.e.${\displaystyle \mathbf{B}=\mathbf{0}}$, and we obtain theelectrostatic Maxwell stress tensor. It is given in component form by

${\displaystyle {\sigma }_{ij}={\epsilon }_0{E}_i{E}_j-\frac{1}{2}{\epsilon }_0{E}^2{\delta }_{ij}}$

and in symbolic form by

${\displaystyle \mathit{\sigma }={\epsilon }_0\mathbf{E}\otimes \mathbf{E}-\frac{1}{2}{\epsilon }_0(\mathbf{E}\cdot \mathbf{E})\mathbf{I}}$

where${\displaystyle \mathbf{I}}$ is the appropriate identity tensor${\displaystyle (}$usually${\displaystyle 3\times 3)}$.

The eigenvalues of the Maxwell stress tensor are given by:

${\displaystyle \{\lambda \}=\left\{-\left(\frac{{ϵ}_0}{2}{E}^2+\frac{1}{2{\mu }_0}{B}^2\right),\pm \sqrt{{\left(\frac{{ϵ}_0}{2}{E}^2-\frac{1}{2{\mu }_0}{B}^2\right)}^2+\frac{{ϵ}_0}{{\mu }_0}{\left(\mathit{E}\cdot \mathit{B}\right)}^2}\right\}}$

These eigenvalues are obtained by iteratively applying thematrix determinant lemma, in conjunction with theSherman–Morrison formula.

Noting that the characteristic equation matrix,${\displaystyle \overleftrightarrow{\mathit{\sigma }}-\lambda \mathbb{I}}$, can be written as

${\displaystyle \overleftrightarrow{\mathit{\sigma }}-\lambda \mathbb{I}=-\left(\lambda +V\right)\mathbb{I}+{ϵ}_0\mathbf{E}{\mathbf{E}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}+\frac{1}{{\mu }_0}\mathbf{B}{\mathbf{B}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}}$

where

${\displaystyle V=\frac{1}{2}\left({ϵ}_0{E}^2+\frac{1}{{\mu }_0}{B}^2\right)}$

we set

${\displaystyle \mathbf{U}=-\left(\lambda +V\right)\mathbb{I}+{ϵ}_0\mathbf{E}{\mathbf{E}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}}$

Applying the matrix determinant lemma once, this gives us

${\displaystyle det\left(\overleftrightarrow{\mathit{\sigma }}-\lambda \mathbb{I}\right)=\left(1+\frac{1}{{\mu }_0}{\mathbf{B}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}{\mathbf{U}}^{-1}\mathbf{B}\right)det\left(\mathbf{U}\right)}$

Applying it again yields,

${\displaystyle det\left(\overleftrightarrow{\mathit{\sigma }}-\lambda \mathbb{I}\right)=\left(1+\frac{1}{{\mu }_0}{\mathbf{B}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}{\mathbf{U}}^{-1}\mathbf{B}\right)\left(1-\frac{{ϵ}_0{\mathbf{E}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}\mathbf{E}}{\lambda +V}\right){\left(-\lambda -V\right)}^3}$

From the last multiplicand on the RHS, we immediately see that${\displaystyle \lambda =-V}$ is one of the eigenvalues.

To find the inverse of${\displaystyle \mathbf{U}}$, we use the Sherman-Morrison formula:

${\displaystyle {\mathbf{U}}^{-1}=-{\left(\lambda +V\right)}^{-1}-\frac{{ϵ}_0\mathbf{E}{\mathbf{E}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}}{{\left(\lambda +V\right)}^2-\left(\lambda +V\right){ϵ}_0{\mathbf{E}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}\mathbf{E}}}$

Factoring out a${\displaystyle \left(-\lambda -V\right)}$ term in the determinant, we are left with finding the zeros of the rational function:

${\displaystyle \left(-\left(\lambda +V\right)-\frac{{ϵ}_0{\left(\mathbf{E}\cdot \mathbf{B}\right)}^2}{{\mu }_0\left(-\left(\lambda +V\right)+{ϵ}_0{\mathbf{E}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}\mathbf{E}\right)}\right)\left(-\left(\lambda +V\right)+{ϵ}_0{\mathbf{E}}^{\mathsf{\text{T}}}\mathbf{E}\right)}$

Thus, once we solve

${\displaystyle -\left(\lambda +V\right)\left(-\left(\lambda +V\right)+{ϵ}_0{E}^2\right)-\frac{{ϵ}_0}{{\mu }_0}{\left(\mathbf{E}\cdot \mathbf{B}\right)}^2=0}$

we obtain the other two eigenvalues.

• Ricci calculus
• Energy density of electric and magnetic fields
• Poynting vector
• Electromagnetic stress–energy tensor
• Magnetic pressure
• Magnetic tension

• David J. Griffiths, "Introduction to Electrodynamics" pp. 351–352, Benjamin Cummings Inc., 2008
• John David Jackson, "Classical Electrodynamics, 3rd Ed.", John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999
• Richard Becker, "Electromagnetic Fields and Interactions", Dover Publications Inc., 1964

• Tensor physical quantities
• Electromagnetism
• James Clerk Maxwell

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata