P23I / PHYS2385

Electricity, Magnetism and Optics

(4 Credits) Semester II Level II

Prerequisites : P 14A / PHYS1410 & P 14B / PHYS 1420, and (M 08B/MATH0100, and M 08C/MATH0110 or A-Level Maths or CAPE Maths)

Aims

To allow students to use Maxwell's equations and the electromagnetic wave equation for static and changing electromagnetic fields;

To allow students to describe and analyze the optical phenomena of polarization and diffraction.

Objectives

• Students should be able to describe the nature and characteristics, and to demonstrate application of,
• Electric field vectors and the magnetic field vectors.
• Maxwell's equations in integral form and the wave equation for
• plane EM waves
• Energy transfer, polarization and other properties resulting from light being a transverse EM wave.
• Coherence effects in interference and diffraction.
• Diffraction grating and the patterns it produces.
• Fresnel diffraction.

Content

Electricity & Magnetism :

Optics :

Evaluation

One 2-hour theory examination paper

70% One 1-hour in-course test

20% Practical work 10%