Material Responses in Electrostatics and Magnetostatics

Dr. Christopher S. Baird

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Dielectric Parallel- Paramagnetic

Diamagnetic Conductor
Ferroelectric electric Ferromagnetic

Direction of
perfectly
material response opposite parallel opposite parallel
opposite
field compared to
inducing field

Material's effect
on internally
E weakened E strengthened B weakened B strengthened E = 0, B = 0
applied
E or B field

Characterization ε > ε0 ε < ε0 μ < μ0 μ > μ0 σ→∞

polarized bound polarized bound magnetized magnetized free charges and

Material
charge regions charge regions bound currents bound currents currents
component - + + -
interacting - + -
+ - + -
+

E is normal
partially partially partially partially
sucks in E field pushes out E pushes out B sucks in B field
Effect on external
lines field lines field lines lines
fields lines near
B is tangential
surface

Force on external
attracts charges,
charges or attracts charges repels charges repels magnets attracts magnets
repels magnets
magnets

glass diamond iron silver

Example plastic none graphite steel copper
materials water in electrostatics bismuth cobalt gold
diamond copper nickel aluminum

Note: Ferroelectricity and Ferromagnetism are nonlinear, history-dependent effects, in contrast to all the other responses. However,
for the purposes of general conceptualization, they can be classed with dielectricity and paramagnetism respectively.

Parallel-electric materials (distinct from paraelectrics) do not exist in electrostatics. In electrodynamics, however, the permittivity
can become negative. This is because the charges get out of phase from the driving fields, but this is a time-dependent effect.

Most materials simultaneously exhibit electric, magnetic, and conductive effects, even if only in small amounts.