Physics 4540:  Electromagnetic Fields & Waves          Course Syllabus Fall 2009

4 semester credits

 

Instructor:  David A. Bahr

Office:  S313B

E-mail:  dbahr@bemidjistate.edu

Phone:  (218) 755-2916

Office hours:  posted to web

Class meetings:  M, T, H, F  10:00-10:50 in S331

Website: http://www.bemidjistate.edu/academics/departments/physics/

 

Text (required):

Griffiths, David J., Introduction to Electrodynamics 3/e, Prentice Hall 1999.  (ISBN 0-13-805326-X)

Course content:

Ø  Brief review of vector calculus

Ø  Electrostatics – electric fields and potentials, Gauss’ law

Ø  Laplace’s equation, the method of images, multipole expansion

Ø  Polarization, electric displacement

Ø  Magnetostatics – the Lorentz force law, the Biot-Savart law

Ø  Magnetic vector potential

Ø  Magnetic fields in matter, magnetization, Ampere’s law

Ø  Faraday’s law, Maxwell’s equations

Ø  Conservation laws – Poynting’s theorem, Maxwell’s stress tensor

Ø  Dipole radiation

Ø  Absorption and emission of radiation; scattering

 

Prerequisites:  PHYS 2102, MATH 2490 (or PHYS 3400), PHYS 3600, PHYS 4310 (or consent of instructor)

Co-requisite:  PHYS 4310 or consent of instructor

 

Grade Weights:                                    Letter Grades:

Homework exercises…..…………...50%

100% - 90%………A

Midterm exam………………………20%

90% - 78% ……… B

Final exam  …………………………30%

78% - 62% ……… C

 

62% - 50% ……… D

 

Academic Integrity Policy:

Students are encouraged to collaborate on regular exercises and to acknowledge their collaborators by listing on the results submitted the names of all who contributed to the collaboration.  Students are reminded that ordinary standards of academic integrity apply, however, and that plagiarism or copying each other's work is unacceptable.  Collaboration on exams is not acceptable.


Agenda:

Week 1:  Vector algebra and calculus review

Week 2:  Vector analysis review

Week 3:  Electrostatics – the electric field, its divergence and curl

Week 4:  Electrostatics in conductors, electric potential

Week 5:  Laplace’s equation, the method of images, multipole expansion

Week 6:  Electric fields in matter, polarization and electric displacement

Week 7:  Magnetostatics – the Lorentz force law, the Biot-Savart law

Week 8:  Divergence and curl of B, vector potential

Week 9:  Midterm Exam

Week 10:  Magnetic fields in matter, magnetization, Ampere’s law

Week 11:  Electromagnetic induction – Faraday’s law

Week 12:  Maxwell’s equations

Week 13:  Electromagnetic waves

Week 14:  Absorption, dispersion, guided waves*

Week 15:  Dipole radiation*

Week 16:  Final Exam

*Topics to be included only if time permits

 

Upon request this document can be made available in alternate formats.  If you have a documented disability and need accommodations for this course please contact Kathi Hagen in the Disability Services Office in 202 Sanford Hall.  Any other questions about this course should be directed to the instructor."

 

Instructor reserves the right to make minor changes in this syllabus as needed.