(1) The discussion of electrostatic fields was independent of that for magnetostatic fields. Even though we saw in Chapter 7 that a static electric field can cause a flow of charge in a conductor and, therefore, a current, the electric field does not depend on this current and any of its consequences; that is, the static electric field is uniquely defined from the charge distribution in the system. The current thus generated does, in turn, generate a static magnetic field as defined by Ampere’s law. However, this magnetic field, while it may coexist with the electric field, does not affect it.