What is a magnetic monopole?

sequoianoir

A hypothetical particle which would be the magnetic analog of charged particles carrying magnetic "charge." Dirac (1931) showed that the existence of magnetic monopoles could explain the quantization of electric charge, and showed that if they exist, they must carry a "magnetic charge" In physics, magnetic monopole is a term describing a hypothetical particle that could be quickly clarified to a person familiar with magnets but not electromagnetic theory as "a magnet with only one pole". In more accurate terms, it would have net "magnetic charge". Interest in the concept stems from particle theories like Grand Unified Theories and superstring theories that predict either the existence or the possibility of magnetic monopoles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_monopole Feb 09 04, 7:41 PM

peasypod

I agree with seq; but for those laymen out there.... Monopoles are hypothetical particles which each possess a single "flavour" of magnetism, either north or south. Some grand unified theories predict the existance of monopoles, but they have never been found. Feb 09 04, 9:03 PM

guiscard

The introduction of magnetic monopoles (or isolated magnetic charges) would involve the reformulation of Maxwell's equations to include the existence of sources of the magnetic fields and also magnetic currents. None of the effects of these reformulations have been observed. My point is that if magnetic monopoles exist in the universe we should see the effects of the reformulated Maxwell eqns. Since these equations govern everything from the transmission of light to the operation of the incandescent bulb (who discovered that anyway....?) this would provide many tests of their existence. While the jury is still out, I would suggest that this is due to their nonexistence in any epoch beyond the first seconds post-BB. Feb 09 04, 11:22 PM