- Gauss's law relates electric charge contained within a closed surface (Gaussian surface) to the surrounding electric field. It describes with mathematical clarity how the divergence of an electrical field is affected by charges (electric field lines diverge from positive charges and are drawn towards negative charges). It also states that the total electric flux through a Gaussian surface is unrelated to the shape and size of that surface.
- Gauss's law for magnetism</span> states that the total magnetic flux through a Gaussian Surface is zero. This is due to the fact that real world magnetic charges come in pairs (referred to as dipoles) and the two charges create opposite magnetic field divergences; which cancel each other out. The theoretical single magnetic charge is referred to as a magnetic monopole. Gauss's Law for Magnetism is also used to state mathematically that magnetic monopoles do not exist.
- Faraday's law of induction describes how a changing magnetic field can create an electric field. This is, for example, the operating principle behind many electric generators: Mechanical force (such as the force of water falling through a hydroelectric dam) spins a huge magnet, and the changing magnetic field creates an electric field which drives electricity through the power grid.
- Ampère's law with Maxwell's correction states that magnetic fields can be generated in two ways: By electrical current (this was the original "Ampère's law") and by changing electric fields. The idea that a magnetic field can be induced by a changing electric field follows from the modern concept of displacement current which was introduced to maintain the solenoidal nature of Ampère's law in a vacuum capacitor circuit. This modern displacement current concept has the same mathematical form as Maxwell's original displacement current. Maxwell's original displacement current applies to polarization current in a dielectric medium and it sits adjacent to the modern displacement current in Ampère's law.
Also see http://www.icbse.com/2009/397/rutherfords-nuclear-model-atom.html