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Semester 1

Foundations of Electromagnetism (PHYS09050)

Subject

Physics and Astronomy

College

SCE

Credits

10

Normal Year Taken

3

Delivery Session Year

2022/2023

Pre-requisites

Course Summary

This is a one-semester course, covering time-independent and time-dependent properties of electric and magnetic fields leading to the vector calculus formulation of Maxwell's Equations and the derivation of electro-magnetic waves in vacuo and in media.

Course Description

- Integral and differential forms of Gauss's Law. Examples of 1D, 2D, 3D charge distributions. - Potential. Poisson's Equation. Calculation of electric fields. - Uniqueness theorem. Solution of electrostatic problems. Method of images. - Dipole field. Quadrupole field. Multipole expansion. - Electrostatic boundaries. Polarisation in dielectrics. Surface charges. - Biot-Savart Law. Magnetic vector potential. Calculation of magnetic fields. - Integral and differential forms of Ampere's Law. Examples of 1D, 2D current distributions. - Magnetostatic boundaries. Magnetisation. Surface currents. - Time-varying fields. Faraday's Law. Induction. - Calculation of self and mutual inductance. - Displacement current. Maxwell's equations and their solution in vacuo.- Introduction to Electromagnetic waves.- Solution of Maxwell's equations in dielectrics. - Continuity theorem. Conservation laws- Poynting vector. Energy storage & transport by waves.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 80%, Coursework 20%, Practical Exam 0%

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