Electromagnetic Form Factors - from Nucleon to Nuclei

An overview will be given of recent results in both experiment and theory in the field of electromagnetic form factors. The development of polarized electron beams with high polarization at high current and of polarized targets and recoil polarimeters with large figures of merit has resulted in a wealth of new and accurate data for the charge form factor of the proton and for the charge and magnetic form factor of the neutron with a tremendous impact on our understanding of the structure of the nucleon, especially of the importance of the quark angular momentum. An significant side effect has been a renewed study of the influence of two-photon exchange on the form factors. New data on the form factors of nuclei have been scarce, but recent developments at elcctron storage rings have shown the feasibility of future measurements of the charge radii of short-lived isotopes.