Not All Uniform B-Fields Are The Same!

Abstract

Set up a charged rectangular-plate capacitor in a uniform $\mathbf{B}$-field. Quasi-statically turn off the $\mathbf{B}$-field - what happens? We show that this seemingly simple induction problem (which appears in a famous undergraduate electrodynamics textbook) highlights the causal structure of electrodynamics. It may be (as it is in this problem) that different source configurations can produce the same uniform $\mathbf{B}$-field over some finite region, but very different dynamics when the source is turned off. We see also that the vector potential gives more information about the source of the $\mathbf{B}$-field, and is a very useful (and under-appreciated) way to understand induction and other key aspects of electrodynamics.