Physics 703 - Fall 2011
Contact Information
Learning Outcomes
Methods of Evaluation
Course Content
Course Schedule
Lecture Times: MWF 11:15 AM - 12:05 PM
Lecture Room: PSC 205
Professor: Prof. Milind V. Purohit
Office: PSC 609
Office Hours: Tue 1:30-2:45 PM (Rm 205)
Phone: 777-6996
Home Page: "Milind V. Purohit's Home Page"
By the end of the term, successful students should be able to do the
following:
- Obtain the charge distribution and / or the potential for a
configuration of charges or conductors specified in one of many ways.
- Solve boundary value problems in electrostatics using the method of
images. Specific well-known problems will be considered as well.
- Solve boundary value problems in electrostatics using expansions in
terms of orthogonal functions as well as using Green functions.
- Examine the effect of charge distributions at large distances using
multipoles and dielectrics.
- Learn how to apply the Laws of Biot and Savart and of Faraday to
magnetostatic problems.
- Study the basis of electrodynamics: the Maxwell equations, the
potential formulation, Green functions and retarded potentials.
- Understand electromagnetic radiation and its propagation.
- Understand the propagation of electromagnetic radiation in
waveguides.
Students are expected to know electrodynamics at the PHYS 504
level before they take this course. Only students who have done
well in PHYS 504 should take this course. Also, students should know
mathematical methods of physics.
Classwork will consist of quizzes, on-board solutions of problems by
students and / or presentations. Students will be encouraged to
participate in discussions and demonstrate understanding in one or more
of these ways.
Students are evaluated through the semester using classwork, homework,
in-class tests as well as a final exam.
Grading:
Students turning in less than 70% of homeworks will automatically earn
an F grade. For other students, the course score will be calculated as
follows:
Homework: 30%, Test 1: 10%, Test 2: 10%, Test 3: 10%, Final Exam: 30%.
A total of 10% of the score is planned for classwork.
Typical minimum scores for grades are as follows.
A: 90%. B+: 85%. B: 75%. C+: 70%. C: 60%. D: 50%.
Homework:
Homework problems will be assigned every week and will
be due at the Wednesday lecture of the next week.
Homework that is up to one week late earns 50% points; after that no
credit will be given.
Attendance: Mandatory!
The course content is derived from a variety of sources, including the
texts below. For examples of what is covered week by week, please see
the course schedule pages for previous years:
PHYS
703 Course Schedule, 2010
PHYS
703 Course Schedule, 2009
PHYS
703 Course Schedule, 2008
Texts:
- Jackson, John David. "Classical Electrodynamics", John Wiley & Sons, 3rd
Edition. ISBN: 047130932X.
-
Griffiths, David. "Introduction to Electrodynamics", Prentice Hall, 3rd
Edition. ISBN: 013805326X.
[This is a highly recommended accompanying text.]
In this course we focus on basic concepts of
electrodynamics: electrostatics, multipoles, dielectrics,
magnetostatics, Maxwell Equations, electromagnetic waves and
waveguides. Thus, we cover most of Chapters 1-8 in the textbook by
Jackson.
In the next semester's continuation of this course, i.e., in PHYS 704,
we will study a relativistic formulation and also applications of
Maxwell's equations to radiation, diffraction and charged particles.
Office of Student Disability Services policy statement
"Any student with a documented disability should contact the Office of
Student Disability Services at 803-777-6142 to make arrangements for
appropriate accommodations."
This page is maintained by
"Milind V. Purohit"