conversions of d and stronghstrong between si and gaussian units.pdfVIP

Conversions of D and H between SI and Gaussian Units Kirk T. McDonald Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (April 12, 2014; updated April 23, 2014) 1 Problem The electric displacement field D has dimensions charge/area and the magnetic field strength H has dimensions current/length. In the SI system the units of D are C(oulomb)/m2 and the units of H are A/m, while in the Gaussian (cgs) system the units of D are sC(statcoulomb)/cm2 and the units of H are Oe (oersteds) where1,2,3 1 Oe = ccgs sA(statampere)/cm (= 1 abampere/cm in the EMU system), (1) and c is the speed of light in vacuum. The conversions of coulombs to statcoulombs, of amperes to statamperes, are that [1, 10, 11] c c 1 C = cgs sC ≈ 3 × 109 sC, and 1 A = cgs sA ≈ 3 × 109 sA. (2) 10 10 The conversion of D is that [10, 11] 2 −5 2 5 2 DSI = 1 C/m = Dcgs = 4πccgs × 10 sC/cm ≈ 12π × 10 sC/cm , (3) and the conversion of H is that [1, 10, 11] HSI = 1 A/m = Hcgs = 4π × 10−3 Oe = 4πccgs × 10−3 sA/cm ≈ 12π × 107 sA/cm. (4) However, from eq. (2) we find the conversions 2 −5 2 −3 1 C/m = ccgs × 10 sC/cm , and 1 A/m = ccgs × 10 sA/cm. (5) Could it be that the conversions (3)-(4) erroneously include factors of 4π? This pro