Electromagnetism
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| MATH3008 | Mathematical Sciences | 3 | 20 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- MATH3008
- School
- Mathematical Sciences
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
The course provides an overview of electrostatic, magnetostatics and electrodynamical phenomena and their mathematical description.
- The concept of an electric field is used to characterise stationary charge distributions. The effects of different ensembles of charges, configured as conductors or dielectrics, on the field are obtained microscopically and macroscopically. The concept of a magnetic field is introduced to characterise steady current flow and generalized to account for different macroscopic magnetic phenomena. The Lorentz force is introduced. The solutions of electro- and magneto-static problems are obtained, including superposition and potential theory. The energy associated with the fields is obtained.
- Time dependent problems and electromagnetic induction. Conservation of charge.
- Maxwell's equations and the wave nature of light. The behaviour of electromagnetic fields in dielectric and conductors.
- Poynting's theorem, electromagnetic momentum, Maxwell stress tensor.
- Electrodynamics, the behaviour of test charges in electromagnetic fields. Exact and approximate solutions.
Target Students
Single and Joint Honours students from the School of Mathematical Sciences, Mathematical Physics and Natural Sciences students.
Classes
- Four 1-hour lectures each week for 10 weeks
Assessment
- 100% Exam 1 (3-hour): Written examination.
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
Thecourse complements others in the Waves Pathway by providing an introduction to electromagnetism and the electrodynamics of charged particles. The aims of thiscourse are:to develop an appropriate mathematical model of electromagnetic phenomena that is informed by observations;to understand electromagnetic configurations of practical importance and to relate predictions made to everyday phenomena;to illustrate the use of solutions of certain canonical partial differential equations for determining electrostatic fields and electromagnetic waves in vacuum and in matter;to illustrate the interplay between experimental input and the development of a mathematical model, and the use of various mathematical techniques for solving relevant problems.Learning Outcomes
A student who completes this course successfully will be able to:
- L1 - apply integral theorems of vector calculus as a tool to develop the field theory for the electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields;
- L2 - calculate electric and magnetic fields associated with stationary electric charges and steady current flows respectively;
- L3 - calculate electric and magnetic fields in matter of different electrical nature;
- L4 - demonstrate the wave nature of the electromagnetic field from Maxwell's equations in the absence or presence of matter of different electrical nature;
- L5 - develop energy and momentum conservation in an electromagnetic context;
L6 - demonstrate different motions of charged test particles in electromagnetic fields and develop models for their approximation in more complex situations.
Conveners
Last updated 07/01/2025.