Maxwell's equations

Cultural  

1. Four equations that contain the basic laws governing electricity and magnetism, and thus play a role in the study of electricity and magnetism analogous to that of Newton's laws of motion in mechanics.

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Example Sentences

This large computing power was essential to solve Maxwell's equations and the equations of motion for electrons and positrons according to Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

From Science Daily • Oct. 8, 2025

The unification of electricity, magnetism and light in Maxwell’s equations is a highlight of any good physics degree.

From Nature • Apr. 15, 2019

Maxwell’s equations encompass the major laws of electricity and magnetism.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

Solving Maxwell’s equations by hand can be tortuous, but it transpires that a clever algorithm invented in the 1960s and rediscovered since makes the exercise relatively simple given a sufficiently powerful computer.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2015

Maxwell’s equations predicted that there could be wavelike disturbances in the combined electromagnetic field, and that these would travel at a fixed speed, like ripples on a pond.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking