Answer to Question #88733 in Electricity and Magnetism for Sridhar

Question

Ampers law inconsistent with
1)momentum conservation
2) energy conservation
3)charge conservation

Answer 1

Solution. Ampere’s law was, before Maxwell, inconsistent with conservation of the charge. For example the current determining B was in fact the flux of charge determining E. The displacement current permits the fields to propagate on their own, in vacuum, without any local charge to support the field line. Charge conservation implied the existence of a field with an identity of its own, that could propagate freely in vacuum, and carry energy and momentum with it.

Answer. 3) charge conservation.