aepsyl

Web Pages: aurora.wells.edu/~swh/aep/aepsch.htm is the lecture schedule; aurora.wells.edu/~swh/aep/aephw.htm is the homework assignment; aurora.wells.edu/~swh/aep/aepsch.htm is this syllabus; aurora.wells.edu/~swh/aep/aeprsv.htm is the list of reserve books; aurora.wells.edu/~swh is my home page

Course Description: This course is mostly theoretical, taking us up to the invention of the Maxwell's Equations. Briefly, we will discuss the fields and potentials produced by charge and current distributions, in vacuum and in matter. Not only do the electro-and-magneto-static fields, in vacuum and in in simple "isotropic" materials, have a beautiful mathematical framework; they govern the operation of a great amount of technology, too. At the end, we relax the static constraint, to allow for slowly (compared to light propagation times) varying charges and currents. [More complicated time-varying fields and material responses are treated in A&EP 356 (Intermediate Electrodynamics).]: Here is the lecture schedule for the course.

Textbook: DJ Griffiths, Introduction to Electrodynamics (3rd ed). Griffiths's great strengths are coherence and thoroughness, and clarity of argument. Its notation is (for the most part) exceptionally clear too. We'll cover the first half of the book. [Corrections to early printings appear at Griffiths errata.) An obvious inspiration to Griffiths is Feynman's Introductory Lectures in Physics (volume II). Feynman covers much the same ground, with deeper thought given to the physics. It is especially excellent discussing energy concepts in circuits and fields. Because of the brevity of the course and the tightly connected nature of the material, stay on top of the material.

Homework/In-Class Comprehension (35%): Here is the homework assignment page. Griffiths's problems are excellent and will be extensively used. The homework will be graded but not given lengthy critiques; please be ready to explain your work verbally too.