The momentum of an electromagnetic wave inside a dielectric
Abstract
The problem of assigning a momentum to an electromagnetic wave packet propagating inside an insulator has become known under the name of the Abraham-Minkowski controversy. In the present paper we re-examine this issue making the hypothesis that the forces exerted on an insulator by an electromagnetic field do not distinguish between polarization and free charges. Under this assumption we show that the Abraham expression for the radiation mechanical momentum is highly favored.
- Publication:
-
Annals of Physics
- Pub Date:
- September 2013
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.aop.2013.05.004
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1207.3913
- Bibcode:
- 2013AnPhy.336....1T
- Keywords:
-
- Physics - Classical Physics;
- High Energy Physics - Theory;
- Physics - Optics
- E-Print:
- 17 pages, no figures