Skip to main content
1 of 2
anna v
  • 235.5k
  • 20
  • 248
  • 642

And why from one frame of reference, you can see an electric field, and from another frame of reference you see a magnetic field - because it depends on your angle relative to the electron's motion?

No , it does not depend on the angle of motion, but on the inertial frames.

Special relativity is necessary to give the mathematical formulation .

E and B inertial frams

Lorentz boost of an electric charge.

Top: The charge is at rest in frame F, so this observer sees a static electric field. An observer in another frame F′ moves with velocity v relative to F, and sees the charge move with velocity −v with an altered electric field E due to length contraction and a magnetic field B due to the motion of the charge.

Bottom: Similar setup, with the charge at rest in frame F′.

anna v
  • 235.5k
  • 20
  • 248
  • 642