How Maxwell's 1868 experiment determined the speed of light using the Ohm and a static electromagnetic field

This brief article addresses a common question that may occur upon first reading Maxwell’s 1868 paper titled "On a method of making a direct comparison of electrostatic with electromagnetic force; with a note on the electromagnetic theory of Light" [1]. The primary question that may cause confusion involves correctly interpreting Maxwell’s experimental data using modern electrical engineering standards, as the measurement systems we use today have changed significantly since the 1800s. Furthermore, this question cannot be properly addressed without including the results of a second, equally important experiment in electrodynamics conducted five years earlier in 1863. It is in these data from both experiments that we gain a full understanding of the experimental methods Maxwell employed.

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Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-09-09
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22681078
Primary Topic
Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
Type
preprint
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preprint

How Maxwell's 1868 experiment determined the speed of light using the Ohm and a static electromagnetic field

Blair M. Cleveland
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
preprint

How Maxwell's 1868 experiment determined the speed of light using the Ohm and a static electromagnetic field

Blair M. Cleveland
preprint en

Abstract

This brief article addresses a common question that may occur upon first reading Maxwell’s 1868 paper titled "On a method of making a direct comparison of electrostatic with electromagnetic force; with a note on the electromagnetic theory of Light" [1]. The primary question that may cause confusion involves correctly interpreting Maxwell’s experimental data using modern electrical engineering standards, as the measurement systems we use today have changed significantly since the 1800s. Furthermore, this question cannot be properly addressed without including the results of a second, equally important experiment in electrodynamics conducted five years earlier in 1863. It is in these data from both experiments that we gain a full understanding of the experimental methods Maxwell employed.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
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