W3007:
Electricity and Magnetism
Spring 2005
Asst. Prof. Gustaaf Brooijmans, 907 Pupin, gusbroo@phys.columbia.edu
Classes:
Monday and Wednesday, 11.00 am until 12.15 pm, Pupin 420
The
textbook is D.J. Griffiths, Introduction to
Electrodynamics, 3rd edition (prentice Hall 1999). The
material will cover chapters 1 through 7 and chapter 12. Be
careful: the original print of that edition had many typos and is
still sold on some unscrupulous websites: on the page with the
copyrights look for the statement "Reprinted with corrections
September, 1999".
Office Hours are Mondays, 2.00 to 3.30
pm or by appointment.
The T.A. for this course is Seth
Caughron.
Recitation sessions are on Tuesdays at 7 pm in Pupin
420. Seth also has office hours on Thursdays, from 2-3pm in Pupin
727.
Homework
1 (1/26, due 2/4): Griffiths problems 2.5, 2.12, 2.15, 2.18.
Solutions
Homework 2 (2/2,
due 2/11): Griffiths problems 2.27, 2.36, 2.43, 3.9.
Solutions
Homework
3 (2/7, due 2/18): Griffiths problems 3.8 - but in the last sentence
replace neutral with charged (charge Q), 3.12, 3.13,
3.14. Solutions
Homework
4 (2/16, due 2/25): Griffiths problems 3.18, 3.27, 3.37, 3.40.
Solutions
Homework
5 (3/2, due 3/11): Griffiths problems 5.5, 5.9, 5.15, 5.19. Solutions
Homework
6 (3/9, due 3/25): Griffiths problems 5.39, 5.46, 5.58,
7.11. Solutions
Homework 7 (3/23, due 4/1):
Griffiths problems 7.13, 7.25, 7.29, 7.54.
Solutions
Homework 8 (4/6,
due 4/15): Griffiths problems 4.6, 4.15, 4.19, 4.24.
Solutions
Homework
9 (4/13, due 4/22): Griffiths problems 6.8, 6.15, 6.16, 6.25.
Solutions
Homework
10 (4/20, due 4/29): Griffiths problems 12.6, 12.14, 12.20, 12.34.
Solutions
Midterms
& Final: you are allowed to bring 1 handwritten sheet of
formulae, to be handed in with the exam book; no
calculators
Midterm 1: 3/7. Material is
Griffiths chapters 2 and 3. Problems.
Solutions. The average
grade is 28.1/50, stddev is 8.8. Here is the distribution.
Midterm 2: 4/6. Material is
Griffiths chapters 5 and 7 (except for those parts dealing with fields
in matter). Problems.
Solutions. The average
grade is 27.0/50, stddev is 10.9. Here is the distribution.
Final: 5/9, 9.00 am - 12.00 pm. Material is chapters 4, 6, 7 (those parts dealing with fields
in matter), and 12, up to and including section 12.3.2. Problems.
Solutions. The average
grade is 44/75, stddev is 19. Here is the distribution.
Last year's midterm1
(don't try problem 4)
Last year's midterm2
Last
year's final
Course plan (might be
changed somewhat):
Vector Calculus
(1/19)
vector algebra, divergence, curl, Gauss & Stokes' theorems, Dirac delta function
Electrostatics (1/24 - 2/2)
electric field, its curl and divergence, electric potential, work, energy, conductors
Note that Griffiths' demonstration of Gauss' law is intuitive. A more rigorous demonstration can be found in R.P. Feynman's Lectures on Physics for example.
Special Techniques (2/2 - 2/21)
Laplace's equation, uniqueness theorem, method of images, separation of variables, multipole expansion
Note that Griffiths' statement that "there's as much art as science in the method of images" may be a little strong. The location of the image charge in the problem of the charge and the conducting sphere can be derived mathematically - see for example J.D. Jackson's Classical Electrodynamics.
The Magnetic Field (2/21 - 3/2)
Lorentz' law, Biot-Savart's law, curl and divergence, magnetic vector potential
Electrodynamics (3/2 - 3/28)
electromotive force, induction, Maxwell's equations
Electric Fields in Matter (3/28 - 4/11)
polarization, electric displacement
Magnetic Fields in Matter (4/11 - 4/18)
magnetization, H, ferromagnetism
Maxwell's Equations in Matter
(4/18)
Electrodynamics and Special Relativity (4/18 -4/27)
special relativity, relativistic mechanics, relativistic
electrodynamics
Note: electrodynamics in tensor notation is the subject of an optional lecture on May 2. No question on this topic will be asked at the final.