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⚛️ Moving with a Charge: Why the Field Changes
1. Fields Travel at the Speed of Light
Yes, changes in electric and magnetic fields propagate at the speed of light (≈ 3×10⁸ m/s) in vacuum.

So if you move alongside a charge at any speed less than light, you are still observing fields that have propagated to your position at light speed.

This means you can’t “outrun” the field’s changes; the fields reflect the charge’s position and motion as seen in your frame.

2. Relativity and Field Transformations
Here’s the key: electric (E) and magnetic (B) fields are parts of a unified electromagnetic field tensor, which transforms under changes in reference frame.

From a stationary observer’s frame:

A moving charge produces both an electric field and a magnetic field.

From the charge’s rest frame (moving with the charge):

The magnetic field disappears.

Only an electric field remains, radially symmetric around the charge.

3. Why?
Because magnetic fields can be thought of as electric fields viewed from a moving frame.

The magnetic field
𝐵
B is a relativistic effect — it arises due to the Lorentz transformation of the electric field
𝐸
E when switching frames.

The combination of
𝐸
E and
𝐵
B forms the electromagnetic field tensor
𝐹
𝜇
𝜈
F
μν
​
, which transforms according to special relativity.

4. Thought Experiment:
Imagine a charge moving at velocity
𝑣
v relative to you.

You measure both
𝐸
E and
𝐵
B.

If you then accelerate to the same velocity
𝑣
v, moving with the charge, you now measure only
𝐸
E.

The previously observed magnetic field
𝐵
B is "absorbed" into the transformed electric field in your new frame.

5. Field Propagation vs. Frame Change
The speed of field changes (light speed) governs how fast information about charge motion propagates.

But field values measured at a point depend on your frame (velocity relative to the charge).

You don’t need to “catch up” to the fields to see the transformation; the fields at your location appear different because the underlying tensors transform.

6. Summary
Concept Explanation
Speed of field changes Always speed of light
Field at a point depends on Relative motion of observer & charge
Magnetic field in one frame Can become part of electric field in another frame
Moving with the charge See only electric field (no magnetic field)

If you want, I can help you with the mathematical Lorentz transformations of
𝐸
E and
𝐵
B fields for a moving charge to see exactly how these quantities convert. Would you like me to walk you through that?

 soo... some things that we see as being magnetic...... are not magnetic if we are moving at the speed of light? magnetism is an illusion of our perspective? 

You’ve hit on one of the most mind-bending and elegant insights of physics: magnetism is indeed a consequence of our frame of reference — it’s not a separate “thing” but a different perspective on electric fields.

Let me break it down clearly:

🧲 Magnetism as a Relativistic Effect — A Frame-Dependent Phenomenon
1. Electric and Magnetic Fields Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
In classical physics, we treat electric fields (E) and magnetic fields (B) as distinct.

In special relativity, they are unified into one electromagnetic field tensor.

What looks purely electric in one frame can appear as a mix of electric and magnetic fields in another frame.

2. Magnetism as a “Relativistic Illusion”
Suppose you are moving alongside a charged particle at its speed.

In your frame, you see only an electric field — no magnetic field.

To an observer at rest relative to the particle’s movement, there is a magnetic field created by that moving charge.

So, magnetism arises because you are in a frame where charges are moving.

 magnetism is an illusion i guess............. mind blown

i think another really fun device i could make with this knowledge is... the opposite of a phone charger... so usually its a charger plugged in to the wall that wirelessly charges the phone.........

but in this idea... its a charger that plugs into the phone.... and wirelessly gets its power from a nearby cable

so like what if you hang that from a power line? endless free electricity? :P

The sun and moon is electromagnetism

If you want to make the house all computerized, get Alexa with all of the plugs and switches you need.

.

.

.

Electromagnetism has 7 or so spectrums in it's field. One of them is the radio wave.

Aside from the radio itself, we also use blutooth and wifi and cellular technologies which are simply radiowaves again. We can transfer data through the air, which is actually a fancy trick before we actually started doing it not long ago.

There's a machine that uses electronic pulses along the head as a form of mood therapy. 

The brain can indeed "receive" radio waves from the air. The signal can alter the mood of the receiver.

The heart is more electronic than the brain and it generates an electromagnetic field around our bodies. (EMF = Radio)

The heart can and does transmit a signal based on how we're feeling.

The brain however is desensitized from all of the constant noise in the air. Radio waves of various frequencies constantly bombarding us endless. 

If not for that, we'd be more empathic.

Arguably, it's the content of those radio waves, which, when they reach our devices, translate into other waves we can detect with other senses.  However, in an abstract way -- a couple steps removed -- that it is true.  But perhaps there is something to be said that these frequencies are still carrying this information in them that has some effect still.  It seems a stretch to me, but...there are weirder things that are true.

ya i kinda doubt wifi is doing much but havana syndrome seems to be real and that is believed to be caused bya microwave-based weapon. 

I don't think it's as simple as observation. Because no one is looking at all the wiring in their house and making it switch currents by staring at it. But also when you tunnel into the fabric of reality some of it is shocking and counter-intuitive. Not to do the double-slit meme, but why should photons behave differently based on someone looking at it? It's a very complex plane of existence we are on.

Also wanted to throw out there that Dart and Flutter is an amazing language and library system, and Qwen is insane at programming. Not that I'm saying it's for your usecase, but just putting thoughts out there.

Tryptamine said: 

Also wanted to throw out there that Dart and Flutter is an amazing language and library system, and Qwen is insane at programming. Not that I'm saying it's for your usecase, but just putting thoughts out there.

 Qwen has a powerful text to video feature too. I use it for making stock video