The nature of electromagnetic energy

Abstract

We study the nature and location of electromagetic energy for two cases. The energy density for electromagnetic radiation is shown to be $\frac{1}{8\pi}(E^2+B^2)$, with the energy contained in the electromagnet fields. For a static charge distribution, the electromagnet energy is contained in the charge, with an energy density, $\frac{1}{2}\rho\phi$, There is no energy outside the charge distribution. The electromagnetic fields do not contain the energy, and $\frac{1}{8\pi}(E^2+B^2)$ cannot be considered an energy density in this case. There is no ambiguity in either case as to where the energy is located.