Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

James Clerk Maxwell (Author), Physics (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1954 | Series: Dover Books on Physics

Volume 1 of an important foundation work of modern physics describes electrostatic phenomena and develops a mathematical theory of electricity. Topics include electrical work and energy in a system of conductors, mechanical action between two electrical systems, spherical harmonics, electric current, conduction and resistance, electrolysis, and other subjects. 1891 edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If your library does not have copies of the original editions, you should certainly ask them to consider getting these...and you may want one or two for yourself!" MAA Online, April 1999

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

James Clerk Maxwell is at Trinity College, Cambridge. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; 3rd edition (June 1, 1954)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486606368
• ISBN-13: 978-0486606361
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #497,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic that still is worth reading, January 30, 2004

By 

physics student "visviva" (St. John's, Newfoundland Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

Whenever I teach a course which touches on electric or magnetic phenomena I find myself going through this book. It works well with the early chapters of Jackson, in particular, and Smythe. Maxwell knew the subject thoroughly, up to the 1870s (and much of this material has since dropped out of courses and almost out of memory), his thinking was both profound and clear, and he may well be the best writer on physics in the English language. His proofs are economical and elegant. Oh yes - this book is still a good reference for the treatment of spherical harmonics and multipole expansions in Cartesian coordinates.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Electricity & Magnetism defined mathematically, December 14, 2001

By 

Shane M Gillespie (Manistee, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

The book in my opinion coming from a calculus III student is very rigorous and one needs to have a firm foundation on Mathematics I would say about calc III or better to even try to read this book. So far I have just started but every page is exciting because he goes into a deep explanation of what is happening and going on physically and mathematically. Not to mentioned his work is very organized.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Treatise on Electricity & Magnetism by James Clerk Maxwell, September 13, 2001

By 

Simo Liukkonen (Espoo Finland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

The theory of electromagnetic fields was written already around 1880. This was made by Maxwell whose very original ideas are found in this treatise. To read it takes a little time as there are applied terminology and units not any more valid. However,
after carefull reading it gives out the idea of field theory. The electrostatics and electrokinematics are represented in vol 1. The theory developed Maxwell is a masterpiece of physics and will certainly have a stable position in history of natural sciences.