PHY3143 Advanced Electromagnetism

2010-2011

Code: PHY3143
Level: 3
Title: Advanced Electromagnetism
Instructors: Prof. J.R. Sambles
CATS Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credit Value: 5
Pre-requisites: N/A
Co-requisites: N/A
Duration: L1-L11
Availability: unrestricted
Background Assumed: Fundamental Electromagnetism I (PHY1104), Mathematics for Physicists (PHY1116) and Fundamental Electromagnetism II (PHY2006)
Directed Study Time: 22 lectures
Private Study Time: 78 hours
Assessment Tasks Time: -

Aims

This is the final module that physics undergraduates receive in electromagnetism. It follows on from PHY2006 (Fundamental Electromagnetism II) and examines the fundamental physics that students are capable of directly observing. The phenomena covered, scattering of light the propagation of electromagnetic waves, etc., are important in a wide variety of areas and in many key technologies. The early part of the module is primarily a recap and a reinforcing of the difficult material treated at the end of PHY2006. Once this is completed, and Maxwell's equations are firmly established, the module moves on to more advanced topics. Specifically, it is intended to take students to the point where they can handle the fundamentals of fields due to moving charges and also to begin to explore the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter. It is a demanding module containing substantial amounts of vector mathematics and basic core physics.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to:

Module Specific Skills

• describe all the fundamental aspects of electromagnetism;
• explain many aspects of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter;
• calculate the effect of such interactions using appropriate vector mathematics.
• calculate the fields of moving charges;
• solve problems requiring application of Maxwell's equations to a variety of situations (as outlined in the syllabus below and in the lectures);

Discipline Specific Skills

• use vector analysis to solve problems in science and engineering;

Personal and Key Skills

• develop and present a coherent solution to a problem;
• evaluate and check their own knowledge.

Learning / Teaching Methods

Lectures (20×1hr), tutorials, buzz-problems and problems classes (2×1hr), e-learning resources.

Assignments

Example problems in preparation for the problems classes

Assessment

One 90-minute examination (100%).

Syllabus Plan and Content

1. Maxwell's Equations
   1. The equation of continuity, displacement-current density
   2. Maxwell's equations for the electromagnetic field, constitutive equations
2. Electromagnetic Waves
   1. Electromagnetic waves in free space
   2. Plane waves and polarization
   3. Plane waves in free space and in isotropic insulating media, dispersion
   4. Energy in electromagnetic waves and the Poynting vector
   5. Plane waves in conductors and the skin effect, waves in plasmas
3. The emission of radiation:
   1. Radiation from an oscillating dipole
   2. Radiation from a set of moving charges
4. Fields produced by moving charges
   1. Lienard-Weichert potentials
   2. Fields of a uniformly moving point charge
5. Interaction of radiation with matter
   1. Fresnel's Equations and their Optical Consequences
   2. Scattering

Core Text

Griffiths D.J. (1999), Introduction to Electrodynamics (3^rd edition), Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-805326-X (UL: 537 GRI)

Supplementary Text(s)

Reitz J.R., Milford F.J. and Christy R.W. (1993), Foundations of Electromagnetic Theory (4^th edition), Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-201-52624-7 (UL: 530.141 REI)

Formative Mechanisms

Students are given four example sheets including one which is illustrative of typical examination questions. The full answers are provided and discussed in two problems classes.

Evaluation Mechanisms

The module will be evaluated using information gathered via the student representation mechanisms, the staff peer appraisal scheme, and measures of student attainment based on summative assessment.