Re: [Visualpython-users] electrodynamics simulation

[Bruce S. <Bru...@nc...>]

Pretty slick! And a very nice way to give an overview of the 
capabilities (in MandiPy, uncomment the long sequence at the end of the 
file and then run it).

I don't understand the Retardation program. Why isn't there electric 
field everywhere, not just in the forward direction? Was the proton 
supposed to be in uniform motion and we just start looking as it's 
passing the origin? Why don't I see a "pancaked" electric field 
distribution?

Bruce

Joe Heafner wrote:
> Good afternoon.
> 
> I've been working on a toolbox of helpful snippets that I eventually 
> (next year) plan to introduce to my introductory physics students. I've 
> used this toolbox to make what I intended to be a simulation of the 
> electric and magnetic fields of a moving charged particle, accounting 
> for retardation. The toolbox is called MandiPy and I'm attaching it to 
> this message. I'm also attaching the actual simulation, Retardation.py. 
> I've scoured the Internet for examples of such a simulation in source 
> form and have found exactly nothing! The closest thing I've found is a 
> Java implementation in An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods, 
> 3rd edition by Gould, Tobochnik, and Christian (Pearson/Addison-Wesley, 
> 2007). It's a fine book but Java and I don't get along well at all. I'd 
> appreciate feedback!
> 
> Joe