Electromagnetism

Module overview

Electromagnetism is one of the brilliant successes of nineteenth century physics and the equations formulated by Maxwell are believed to account exactly for all classical electromagnetic phenomena. The aim of this course is to present the laws of electromagnetism, their experimental justification, and their application to physical phenomena.

Linked modules

Pre-requisites: PHYS1011 and PHYS1015 and PHYS1022

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Develop mathematical tools for the description of physical phenomena (potential formulations, gauge invariances, wave properties)
Derive theorems from first principles in integral and differential form

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Describe and quantitatively evaluate the emission and propagation of electromagnetic waves in vacuum and in media
Calculate electric and magnetic fields generated by charges and currents
Compute intensities and powers associated to electromagnetic fields
Express electromagnetic laws in integral, differential and potential form
Characterise the interaction between electric and magnetic fields and matter

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

Potentials, gauge invariances, generation of electromagnetic waves
The fundamental laws of electrodynamics (Faraday’s and Ampere-Maxwell’s laws, Maxwell’s equations)
The propagation of electromagnetic waves in vacuum and in media
The interaction of electric and magnetic fields with matter

Learning and Teaching

Study time
Type	Hours
Wider reading or practice	46
Completion of assessment task	10
Follow-up work	18
Lecture	36
Revision	10
Preparation for scheduled sessions	18
Tutorial	12
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

I S Grant and W R Phillips. Electromagnetism. Wiley.

R B Leighton & M Sands (1964). The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Addison - Wesley.

D J Griffiths (1989). Introduction to electrodynamics. Prentice Hall.

D Halliday, R Resnick and J Walker (1997). Fundamentals of Physics. Wiley.

Assessment

Assessment strategy

Course work worth 20% of the module mark will be set and assessed in the normal way. In the event that a course work is missed, students will be required to go through the Special Considerations procedures in order to request mitigation for that piece of course work. Please note that documentary evidence will normally be required before these can be considered. The final exam is worth 80% of the module mark. Referral Method: By examination, the final mark will be calculated both with and without the coursework assessment mark carried forward, and the higher result taken.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	80%
Problem Sheets	20%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	80%
Coursework marks carried forward	20%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Examination	80%
Problem Sheets	20%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External