Course Objectives

The objectives of this course are to:

  1. Introduce students to the principles and properties of electric and magnetic fields.
  2. Develop the ability to solve problems involving charges, fields, and currents.
  3. Explore electromagnetic induction and the foundational principles of Maxwell's equations.
  4. Provide insights into the behavior of DC and AC circuits with electrical components.
  5. Equip students with analytical skills to evaluate electrical and magnetic phenomena.

Overall Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

  1. Describe the electric field and potential and related concepts for stationary charges.
  2. Calculate electrostatic properties of simple charge distributions using Coulomb's law, Gauss's law, and electric potential.
  3. Describe and determine the magnetic field for steady and moving charges.
  4. Determine the magnetic properties of simple current distributions using Biot-Savart and Ampere's law.
  5. Describe electromagnetic induction and make calculations using Faraday's and Lenz's laws.
  6. Explain the basic physical meaning of Maxwell's equations in integral form.
  7. Evaluate DC circuits to determine electrical parameters.
  8. Determine the characteristics of AC voltages and currents in resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

Detailed Course Content

Module 1: Electrostatics

  • Introduction to forces in nature.
  • Electric charge: properties and methods of charging.
  • Coulomb's law and superposition principle.
  • Electric field and potential.
  • Gauss's law and applications.
  • Capacitance and energy storage in electric fields.
  • Conductors and insulators.

Module 2: Current Electricity

  • Voltage, current, and resistance.
  • Ohm's law and simple DC circuit analysis.
  • Energy dissipation and power in electrical circuits.

Module 3: Magnetism

  • Magnetic fields and the Lorentz force.
  • Magnetic properties of materials: magnetic dipoles.
  • Biot-Savart and Ampère's laws.
  • Energy in magnetic fields.

Module 4: Electromagnetic Induction

  • Electromotive force (EMF) and Faraday's law of induction.
  • Lenz's law and practical applications.
  • Self-inductance and mutual inductance.
  • Step-up and step-down transformers.

Module 5: Maxwell's Equations and Electromagnetic Waves

  • Introduction to Maxwell's equations in integral form.
  • Electromagnetic oscillations and wave propagation.

Module 6: AC Circuits

  • AC voltages and currents.
  • Behavior of resistors, capacitors, and inductors in AC circuits.
  • Impedance and resonance in RLC circuits.

Teaching/Learning Methods

1. Face-to-face and online lectures with multimedia support.

2. Problem-solving sessions focusing on analytical and numerical methods.

3. Laboratory demonstrations and experiments to illustrate core concepts.

4. Group discussions and collaborative activities.

Modes of Assessment

1.  Class Attendance and Participation: 10%

2.  Assignments and Quizzes: 20%

3.  Mid-Semester Test: 20%

4.  Final Examination: 50%

Reading List/References

Required Texts:

  1. Halliday, D., Resnick, R., & Walker, J. (2020). Fundamentals of Physics (11th ed.). Wiley.
  2. Young, H. D., & Freedman, R. A. (2020). University Physics with Modern Physics (15th ed.). Pearson.

Additional Resources:

  1. Serway, R. A., & Jewett, J. W. (2021). Physics for Scientists and Engineers (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
  2. Tipler, P. A., & Mosca, G. (2019). Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Electricity, Magnetism, Light, and Optics (7th ed.). Macmillan.
  3. Griffiths, D. J. (2017). Introduction to Electrodynamics (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press.