Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

>The major achievement of Maxwell's equations is that you can predict velocity of light

This is true, but the other major achievement of Maxwell's equations was his formulation of the displacement current:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Displacement_current

which underlies the wave equation and which "symmetrizes" the loop laws for electric and magnetic fields. This was the "missing link" between the previously known laws of electromagnetism (Ampere's law, Gauss's law, and Faraday's law) and the full theory given in Maxwell's equations.



Consider applying for YC's Fall 2026 batch! Applications are open till July 27.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: