Electromagnetism – Faraday’s Law Paradox During Relative Motion Between Conductor and Magnet

electromagnetic-inductionelectromagnetismmaxwell-equations

Faraday's law states that the induced EMF about a closed path is equal to the negative rate of change of magnetic flux enclosed by that path.

Consider the classic magnet and conductor ring problem.

If the ring is stationary and the magnet moves, there is an induced EMF caused by the electric field

However in the moving magnet's frame of reference, $B$ is constant and there is a moving ring that experiences a magnetic Lorentz force, causing an EMF.

Now here's where the problems start.

As I am currently aware, the Maxwell-Faraday law, that relates the electric field induced EMF, holds for any ring that I choose, even if there is no physical ring present.

Thus if I pick an "imaginary" ring instead of a physical conducting ring, then if a magnet were to move, there would be an induced electric field.

Now, if the ring I choose is not a physical ring, then in the magnet's frame of reference, there is a moving imaginary ring… there are no charged particles in this ring, thus there is no magnetic Lorentz force present, thus I would conclude that there is no EMF.

Isn't there a contradiction between the two scenarios? What is going on?

Best Answer

Your paradox is not quite as different as you think. I asked a very similar question early in 2020 under the title "Conductors and induced emfs: an inconsistency?".

For what it's worth, the conclusion I came to is this. We're prepared to define an electric field in terms of the force $\mathbf F =q\mathbf E$, that would be experienced by a stationary test charge, if one were present. I think that we must do the same for a magnetic field, defining it from $ \mathbf F = q\mathbf v \times \mathbf B$ in which $\mathbf F$ is the force that would be experienced by a charge $q$ moving at velocity $\mathbf v$, if one were there.

In this way we can talk about emfs of both kinds in non-material loops, because we imagine them being replaced by material loops with charge carriers in them.

I'm far from satisfied with this answer, but at least I'm showing solidarity.