Undergraduate Course: Electromagnetism and Relativity (PHYS10093)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This is a two-semester course on the classical interactions of light and matter (electromagnetism), and the relationship between space and time (special relativity). The focus of the course will similarly be twofold; there will be emphasis on developing skills to solve physical problems, and on the close interplay between mathematical results and physical laws. |
| Course description |
40 lectures across 2 semesters.
The course assumes a good working knowledge of second year vector calculus material (vectors, tensors, integral theorems, div grad curl, curvilinear coordinates). The course will take you from the application of this material to electrostatic and magnetostatic problems, through dynamical problems of electromagnetism in vacuum and in media. The similarities, rather than the differences, between electric and magnetic phenomena will be emphasised throughout, leading to the introduction of special relativity and the physics of e.g. time dilation, length contraction, and frame (in)dependence. The implications of this new understanding of space and time will be discussed in the context of electromagnetism, exploring the unification of electric and magnetic phenomena. The course will take you to the point where you are ready to tackle the manifestly Lorentz covariant formulation of electrodynamics in fourth year.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Knowledge of vector calculus is essential; some knowledge of electromagnetism and special relativity is desirable but not essential |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 44,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 44,
Summative Assessment Hours 8,
Revision Session Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
96 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
80 %,
Coursework
20 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
80% exam 20% coursework |
| Feedback |
Feedback to students is provided in several ways including written feedback on returned hand-ins, one-to-one discussion in workshops, and pre-exam revision sessions. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Electromagnetism and Relativity S2 Exam | 3:180 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | Electromagnetism and Relativity Resit Exam | 3:180 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand the principles of dynamics, Maxwell electromagnetism, and special relativity and how they relate to broader physical principles.
- Formulate and develop the inter-relation of charges, currents, fields, potentials and forces using vector, tensor and integral calculus in index notation, both in 3 and 3+1 dimensions.
- Devise and implement a systematic strategy for solving a complex problem by breaking it down into its constituent parts.
- Use the experience, intuition and mathematical tools learned from solving physics problems to solve a wider range of unseen problems.
- Resolve conceptual and technical difficulties by locating and integrating relevant information from a diverse range of sources, including formulating and solving a range of boundary value problem and problems with time dependent charges, currents, and electromagnetic fields.
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Reading List
Boas, "Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences"
Arfken and Weber, "Mathematical Methods for Physicists"
Griffiths, "Introduction to Electrodynamics"
Reitz, Milford and Christy, "Foundations of Electromagnetic Theory"
McComb, "Dynamics and Relativity"
Jackson, "Classical Electrodynamics" |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | ElRel |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Anton Ilderton
Tel:
Email: anton.ilderton@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Alexis Heeren
Tel:
Email: Alexis.Heeren@ed.ac.uk |
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