Equivalence of total force (and torque) for two formulations of the Lorentz law

Abstract

Two formulations of the Lorentz law of force in classical electrodynamics yield identical results for the total force (and total torque) of radiation on a solid object. The object may be surrounded by the free space or immersed in a transparent dielectric medium such as a liquid. We discuss the relation between these two formulations and extend the proof of their equivalence to the case of solid objects immersed in a transparent medium.

5 pages, 2 figures, 15 equations, 6 references