Syllabus

This semester we will explore electrostatics and magnetostatics – the consequences of the laws discovered empirically by Coulomb, Gauss, Ampère and Faraday – to a point just short of writing down and using the complete version of the Maxwell equations. Along the way, we will also learn and practice the higher-level applied math involved in complicated electromagnetic problems, such as the solution of linear partial-differential equations in boundary-value problems.

Professor: Andrew Jordan (B&L 317, 275-2418, jordan@pas.rochester.edu). Office hours: Thursdays 1:45-2:45pm.

Teaching assistant: Greg Zengilowski (g.zengilowski@rochester.edu).

Textbook: David J. Griffiths, Introduction to electrodynamics, fourth edition (2015). This book is on two-hour reserve in the Physics-Optics-Astronomy library. Other books you'll find useful are also on reserve in the library.

Homework: Twelve problem sets, usually assigned during the lecture on Thursday and due in the class box the following Thursday. Each problem set counts equally toward the final grade. Normally, detailed solutions to the problem sets will be posted directly following the lecture they are due, which will make it difficult to accept late homework.

About two-thirds of every homework assignment will be designated as solo problems, and the rest as team problems. For the solo problems, students are expected to work independently, but the team problems are recommended to be worked out by groups of 3-4 students working together. Each student is meant to submit solutions of all of the problems, but of course the solutions of the team problems would be essentially identical to those of the other team members. The problems chosen for the team homework usually will be the most difficult ones in the assignment. At least at first, the teams will be those formed rather arbitrarily during the first recitation. We will take care to rotate the membership of the teams as the semester progresses. Greg will be the official arbiter of homework-team membership.

Examinations: One midterm exam, covering most of electrostatics, will be given on 18 October 2018 during the time and in the place normally scheduled for class. A final examination, covering the whole course, but with emphasis on the latter parts, will be given on 18 December 2018, 7:15-10:10 PM. Detailed solutions will be posted at the conclusion of each exam. If you miss an exam due to illness or emergency, a makeup exam may be scheduled by appointment. All makeups will be oral examinations, lasting as long as the exams they replace, and will be administered and graded by Prof. Jordan.

To each exam you are allowed to bring only a writing instrument, a calculator, and one letter-size sheet on which you have written as many notes, formulas, and physical constants as you like. No computers, or graphing calculators into which text and graphics may be downloaded, are allowed.

The best way to study for the examinations is to do study your class notes, read the textbook, do the homework problems, and make a good "cheat sheet" to bring to the exam.

Grades: Based 36% on the homework and 64% on the examinations. The midterm is worth 26%, and the final exam 38%, of the final grade, with each problem set counting for 3%.

Academic honesty disclaimer: For our purposes, cheating consists of submission of solo-homework or exam solutions that are not one’s own work, or submission of such work under someone else’s name. According to University rules, any detected act of cheating that is not the result of a simple misunderstanding must be handed over to the Board on Academic Honesty for investigation. The University of Rochester academic honesty policy is given here.

Help: Our office hours. We will be happy enough to deal with specific questions about the course, homework or exams, but would be even more interested in talking to those who find the course confusing enough that they're not even sure what to ask.