Field strength variation of different types of fields

In summary, the field strength of gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields all vary as the inverse square of the distance from the source. This is because these fields are generated by fermions, which have rest mass, and behave identically regardless of the nature of the fields. This inverse square law can be explained by the conservation of energy, where the energy density on a spherical wave front decreases as the surface area increases, resulting in a proportional relationship between the energy density and the inverse square of the distance from the source. This principle can also be applied to other radially propagating conserved quantities.
  • #1
petrushkagoogol
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The field strength of gravitational, electric and magnetic fields vary as the inverse square of the distance from the source.
Is this because all of the above fields are generated by fermions and they behave identically regardless of the nature of the fields ?
Do the above fermions have rest mass ? :oops:
 
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  • #2
I think it comes from conservation of energy. If you look at the point source of a field, it will generate a field out radially. Try to imagine a charge being created.
It gets created, and the field propagates out radially, making a spherical wave front with area 4 pi r^2. The energy on that surface should be the same as the energy at a previous surface, or any later surface, since if it were to annihilate, it will have "generated" a finite amount of energy, that energy will continue to propagate in the same direction (barring strong gravitational fields and the like). This means the energy density must decrease.
If we compare the total energy of some small area, call it ##\Delta A## at some small value of r, we will find it to be rather high. Now if we move to larger r, but keep the same ##\Delta A## we'll find it to be lower. Requiring the total energy through the surface at ##r_1## to be the same as that of ##r_2##, we get that ##E_1 = E_2## and ##\rho_1 *4\pi r_1^2 = \rho_2 *4\pi r_2^2## and ##\frac{\rho_1}{\rho_2} = \frac{r_2^2}{r_1^2}## which is a form of the inverse square law. So ##\rho_1 \propto \frac{1}{r_1^2}## It literally just comes from the fact that a spheres surface area is proportional to r^2.
Fermions do have rest mass, at least all of the ones I'm aware of. Electrons, protons, etc.

It's worth noting that the same logic can be applied to any radially propagating conserved quantity.
 
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Related to Field strength variation of different types of fields

1. What are the different types of fields that can vary in strength?

There are several types of fields that can vary in strength, including electric fields, magnetic fields, and gravitational fields.

2. How does the strength of an electric field differ from that of a magnetic field?

The strength of an electric field is measured by the force it exerts on a charged particle, while the strength of a magnetic field is measured by the force it exerts on a moving charged particle.

3. Can the strength of a field vary in different locations?

Yes, the strength of a field can vary in different locations depending on factors such as distance from the source, direction of the field, and the presence of other objects that may affect the field.

4. How do different materials affect the strength of a field?

The strength of a field can be affected by the material it is passing through. For example, magnetic fields are stronger in materials such as iron and steel, while electric fields are affected by the conductivity of the material.

5. Can the strength of a field change over time?

Yes, the strength of a field can change over time due to factors such as the movement of charged particles or changes in the source of the field.

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