Re: definition of "electrostatic"

[William Beaty <billb@eskimo.com>]

On Sun, 4 Oct 1998, Bob Sciamanda wrote:

> > Does "electrostatics" refer to fixed distributions of charge
> > (that is, every charge source is glued in place, if you
> > will) or that there is no time dependence to the
> > distribution?
>
> I think we have been using "electrostatics" to refer to a time
> independent situation, however it is achieved.

Or perhaps it also refers to situations where time is ignored.  If we look
only at charge distributions and potential, while ignoring magnetism and
EM radiation, then that is "electrostatics", even if it is a snapshot of a
dynamic situation.  Analogy: Newtonian "Statics" applies to dynamic
situations when we look at a single "frozen" time-slice.

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