PHY425: Electromagnetics II

Instructor

Edward Lipson (Room 305 Physics Building, x9107)

Office hours: by appointment

Textbook

Introduction to Electrodynamics (3rd ed.) by David J. Griffiths, 1999

Location and Times

Room 105 Physics Building; TTh 9:30-10:50 a.m.

Course Description

This second-semester course, which is aimed towards preparing students for graduate school in Physics, is based on the later chapters (see third column in the table below) of the Griffiths text, beginning with Chapter 7, where the core physics lies in the famous, fundamental, and powerful Maxwell's Equations. The first two lectures will review essentials from the earlier chapters of this book (PHY424 material). In general, the course will emphasize problem solving, but ample time will be devoted to derivations and understanding of the essential physics. Most assigned problems will be solved in class, once graded homework is returned. There are useful appendices at the back of the book. See also the inside front and rear covers for useful formulas and fundamental constants.

Homework

Normally, homework will be assigned on the Tuesday, collected on the following Tuesday, and graded and returned on the Thursday. For your solutions, do not simply provide a stream of equations. Rather, you should start almost all problems with a clearly labeled diagram that defines the essential variables (and sometimes constants) in the problem. Then use words to explain the logic and flow, as you transition through your equations. Notice how solutions to example problems are presented in the textbook (as well as the main textual material), and use that style as a model (you can be somewhat more terse, though, since this is not for publication). For clarity, place a rectangular outline box around each of your answers. Some students find it helpful to start each solution with a paraphrased statement of the problem; this modest investment of time increases the chances that the problem will be understood properly and solved correctly. You should do your homework on your own. However, if you need occasional assistance from classmates or other persons, or from other resources besides the text and your class notes, you should make explicit acknowledgment of that at the end of each such problem. Some of the problems in this course will be rather challenging. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to get an early start on each problem set (e.g., the day the problem set is assigned). Do not wait till the evening before the due date to start the assignment. Late homework will not be accepted, except for extenuating circumstances and with prior approval of the instructor.

Final Examination

As mentioned in class, the conditions for the final examination are: "closed book and closed notes; one 2-sided handwritten crib sheet permitted; and scientific calculator provided." The crib sheet should contain only expository material (equations, derivations, definitions, and defining figures) from the course textbook and class notes; it should not contain solutions to homework problems or to examples in the text. The crib sheet, which should be entirely handwritten, will be turned in with your blue books, but will be available to you to pick up and retain, for future reference, for a limited time starting early next semester, from the Undergraduate Office (room 111). The final examination will be weighted towards the material after the midterm, but you remain responsible for material covered prior to that examination, much of which is fundamental to the later material. For examination date, time, and location information, see last row of the table below.

Grading

The grading will be allocated as follows: 25% homework, 35% midterm exam, and 40% final exam. 

Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students who are in need of disability-related academic accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 804 University Avenue, Room 309, 315-443-4498. Students with authorized disability-related accommodations should provide a current Accommodation Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and review those accommodations with the instructor. Accommodations, such as exam administration, are not provided retroactively; therefore, planning for accommodations as early as possible is necessary.

No. 

Date (2010)

Chapter/Topic [#Lectures]

Problem Sets & Remarks

1

Jan 19 T 

Review [2]

2

Jan 21 Th

3

Jan 26 T

7. Electrodynamics [4]

Ch. 7: #1, 2, 5, 7, 10 (due T 2/2)

4

Jan 28 Th

5

Feb 2 T

Ch. 7: #12, 15, 20, 25, 27 (due T 2/9)

6

Feb 4 Th

7

Feb 9 T

8. Conservation Laws [5]

Ch. 7: #29, 42, 45, 51, 53 (due T 2/16)

8

Feb 11 Th

9

Feb 16 T

Ch. 7: #58; Ch. 8: #1 (due T 2/23)

10

Feb 18 Th

11

Feb 23 T

Ch. 7: #31; Ch. 8: #2 (due T 3/2)

12

Feb 25 Th

13

Mar 2 T

14

Mar 4 Th

9 Electromagnetic Waves [10]

15

Mar 9 T

Midterm Exam

16

Mar 11 Th

Mar 16 T

Spring Break -- no classes

Mar 18 Th

Mar 23 T

Ch. 9: #2, 10,12 (due 3/30)

18

Mar 25 Th

19

Mar 30 T

Ch. 9: #13,14 (due 4/6)

20

Apr 1 Th

21

Apr 6 T

Ch. 9: #17,19 (due 4/13)

22

Apr 8 Th

23

Apr 13 T

Ch. 9: #20, 21 (due 4/20)

24

Apr 15 Th

25

Apr 20 T

10. Potentials and Fields [2]

Ch. 9: #22, 25 (due 4/27)

26

Apr 22 Th

27

Apr 27 T

11. Radiation [3]

Ch. 10: #13, 18 (due 5/4)

28

Apr 29 Th

29

May 4 T

May 12 Wed

Final Exam

8:00-10:00 am; room 105 Physics