THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2019/2020

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Physics and Astronomy : Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Undergraduate Course: Foundations of Electromagnetism (PHYS09050)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Physics and Astronomy CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis 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.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Dynamics and Vector Calculus (PHYS08043)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Students MUST NOT also be taking Electromagnetism (PHYS09060)
Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2019/20, Part-year visiting students only (VV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 22, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Revision Session Hours 1, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 51 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 80 %, Coursework 20 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Coursework 20%, examination 80%.
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)Semester 1 Visiting Students Only2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. State the integral laws of electromagnetism and state and derive Maxwell's equations.
  2. Formulate and solve with vector calculus problems of static and time-varying electrical and magnetic field including utilisation of the electric scalar potential and the magnetic vector potential.
  3. Derive and apply the concepts of: Maxwell's displacement current; the continuity equation; self- and mutual inductance; Poynting's vector; energy flux; radiation pressure.
  4. Define and explain: polarisation and magnetisation; the fields D, H, E and B; the relation between E, B and the force on a particle; polarisation charges and magnetisation currents; boundary conditions on fields at interfaces between media; Maxwell's equations in media.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsFEMag
Contacts
Course organiserDr Andreas Hermann
Tel: (0131 6)50 5824
Email: a.hermann@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Helen Walker
Tel: (0131 6)50 7741
Email: hwalker7@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information