Visualizing Magnetic Fields: Numerical Equation Solvers in Action (With CD-ROM)

Rating:
Summary: Electromagnetism CAN be fun!
Review: This book is a delight! If only it had been available during those less than interesting lectures on electromagnetic theory..........

Here, the reader can simulate almost any combination of magnets, conductors and external fields and visualize the result in a number of different ways. So this book and its accompanying software will find use in grade school, universities and industry. The visual impact of the approach used by John Beeteson should prove inspirational to younger students. I would recommend that any teacher involved in this subject should buy this book and try it out.

I have used the software on a W98 notebook computer and on a powerful dual processor NT machine. It works just fine in both cases.

Rating:
Summary: Review of "Visualising Magnetic Fields"
Review: This book provides a no-nonsense introduction to the ideas and concepts of magnetic field visualisation. Electromagnetics is a large and complex field and, as such, can be difficult to obtain an intuitive grasp of. This book presents the basic ideas of magnetic field analysis in a simple and orderly manner with examples to demonstrate the important fundamental concepts. This makes it an ideal companion for more rigourous texts on the subject that go into greater detail where necessary.

The use of numerical analysis tools is widely regarded as essential for more than the simplest of geometries. Frequently these tools require a substantial knowledge in order to be able to apply them to the problem at hand. With the use of the author's visualisation of numerical solvers in action the user is able to understand how the computation process develops in solving in 2D a mathematical representation of the field problem. This understanding is essential if the reader wishes to progress to the more challenging 3D simulation environment, especially for those creating rather than just applying the simulation software.

Overall I found the book useful as a means of introducing the subject and would recommend it to students in their last year of school or as an introductory text in undergraduate studies. In addition to students of Physics and Electrical Engineering, the underlying concepts covered are similar to those for mechanical analysis (stress, strain, distortion) and computational fluid dynamics, including heat flow problems. Thus students in the other Engineering disciplines will find something useful in the book and especially the accompanying software.