Physics 302; Classical Electromagnetism Physics 302; Classical Electromagnetism

References and text. The best text for this course is The Theory of the Electromagnetic Field by David M. Cook, available from www.doverpublications.com for 26.95. It will be our primary reference for the electro and magnetostatics portions of the course. A very good undergraduate text on radiation theory is Classical Electromagnetic Radiation by Marion and Heald. This will be our reference for the electrodynamics portions of the course.

Grading

It is impossible to master any subject in mathematical sciences without solving a large number of problems. Over the course of the semester, 15 major homework assignments will be made, not necessarily spaced at equal time intervals. Several shorter assignments will be made interspersed with the major assignments. Homework is due at the beginning of the class period on the designated due date. Late homework is not accepted for credit, but some mark designating that you have attempted the assignment will be recorded. A very good strategy would be to try to solve or make progress on one or two assigned problems every day. It will be very difficult to finish an assignment if it is put off to the night before it is due.
Homework assignments constitute 60 % of the course grade. You cannot pass the course without doing the homework. 100 total problems will be assigned.
The remaining 40 % of the grade is evenly split between an in-class midterm and a final exam. The final exam will be partly a GRE-style multiple choice exam, designed to give those students who wish to attend graduate school, or who must take an Engineering program extrance/exit exam, vital experience.

Background

It is assumed that students have taken Differential Equations and Math 223, third semester calculus. The best situation is that students have taken Physics 307. Mathematical refresher materials will be made available on the course website http://rustam.uwp.edu/302, along with supplimental materials for those topics not included in the text. It is also assumed that some computer literacy is possessed by the student. Some problems may involve running a computer program provided in the problem, or altering the program slightly, recompiling and re-running it.
Students are assumed to have mastered the contents of Physics 202. A refresher for this course is available on the website.

Content

The following list is ambitious, but we will cover; (text chapters correspond to Corson and Lorrain)

Topic Time Frame Text Reading
Fields of charges 3 weeks Ch. 2, 3, 4
Boundary Value Problems 3 weeks Ch. 3, 6, 7
Steady Currents 1 week Ch. 5
Magnetostatics 3 weeks Ch. 8, 9, 10, 13, 14
Faraday's Law 1 week Ch. 11
Electrodynamics 2 weeks Supplimental text
Electromagnetic Waves 2 weeks Ch. 19, 20, Suppliment

The time frames are approximate.

Grading Criteria

The course will be graded on a 1000 point scale.

Range Grade
910-1000 A
890-909 A-
870-889 B+
810-869 B
790-809 B-
770-789 C+
690-769 C
580-689 C-
540-579 D+
490-539 D
0-489 F

File translated from TEX by TTH, version 2.69.
On 2 Sep 2001, 11:00.