Module code: ECS504U
Credits: 15
Semester: SEM2
The aim of this module is to teach you the basic laws of electric and magnetic fields, their application to elementary problems involving steady and time changing fields and currents, and give you an introduction to electromagnetic radiation. The Maxwell Equations, which explain the relationships between time varying electric and magnetic fields, will be introduced. The emphasis is on physical intuition and visualisation rather than a very mathematical approach.
Topics covered include:
- Revision of vectors and vector algebra, and reference coordinate systems.
- Electrostatics: Electric charge and Coulomb's law.
- Static electric field.
- Electric field of continuous distribution of charges.
- Lines of force and electric field.
- Electrostatic potential.
- Conductors in electrostatic field.
- Gauss' law
- Electric flux.
- Static electric field in the presence of dielectrics.
- The electric displacement vector.
- Energy and forces in static electric field.
- Steady electric current.
- Static magnetic field.
- Magnetic field of steady currents in the presence of magnetic materials.
- Magnetic flux density.
- The Biot-Savart law.
- Ampere's laws.
- Electromagnetic induction.
- Energy and forces in the static and quasi-static magnetic field.
- Maxwell's equations and their application.
Level: 5
