Consider the four Maxwell equations: Which of these must be modified if magnetic poles are discovered?

Question

Consider the four Maxwell equations:  Which of these must be modified if magnetic poles are discovered?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The discovery of magnetic poles would not affect the first Maxwell equation (Gauss's law for electric fields). However, it would dramatically affect the second and third equations (Gauss's law for magnetism and Faraday's law of induction, respectively) because these laws assume that magnetic monopoles do not exist. Therefore, we would have to modify them to take into account the presence of magnetic poles. The fourth equation (Ampere's law with Maxwell's correction) is a bit more complicated because it already includes a term that accounts for the motion of magnetic poles (the displacement current term), but this term would need to be modified depending on the specifics of the new magnetic pole discovery. Therefore, only the second and third equations would absolutely need to be modified, but the fourth equation might also need to be modified depending on the details of the discovery.

Consider the Four Maxwell Equations: Which of These Must