Degrees, Certificates, & Transfer Programs

Student Learning Outcomes -

• The student will be able to apply the methods of calculus to calculate electric and magnetic fields for the appropriate symmetric distributions.
• The student will be able to apply the methods of calculus to calculate electric fields and potentials from charge distributions.
• The student will be able to apply the methods of calculus to solve for the electric/magnetic fields generated from changing electric/magnetic fields.
• The student will be able to apply the methods of calculus to solve problems in circuits with time-varying behavior.

Description -

Application of calculus to physics topics and problems in electricity and magnetism.

Course Objectives -

1. Apply calculus to fields
2. Solve problems involving electric fields or voltages, using calculus
3. Apply calculus to circuits
4. Apply calculus to magnetic field problems
5. Interpret EM waves as solutions to Maxwell's equations

Special Facilities and/or Equipment -

Course Content (Body of knowledge) -

1. Apply calculus to fields
1. Review of calculus
1. Derivatives
2. Integrals
2. Concept of fields
1. Vector fields
2. Graphical interpretation
2. Solve problems involving electric fields or voltages, using calculus
1. Electric fields from charge distributions
2. Gauss's Law
1. Concept of flux
2. Symmetries where Gauss's Law can be used
3. Solving for electric fields
3. Voltages
1. Calculation of voltages from electric fields (and reverse operation)
2. Calculation of voltages from charge distributions
3. Apply calculus to circuits
1. RC circuits
1. First order differential equations
2. Time behavior of RC circuits
2. LRC circuits
4. Apply calculus to magnetic field problems
1. Magnetism from Biot and Savart
2. Ampere's Law
3. Faraday's Law
1. Calculation of induced voltage/current/field
2. Concept of inductance
5. Interpret EM waves as solutions to Maxwell's equations

Methods of Evaluation -

1. Weekly assignments
2. Midterms
3. Final examination

Representative Text(s) -

Disciplines -

Method of Instruction -

Lab Content -

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing and Outside of Class Assignments -

1. Homework problems covering subject matter from text and related material ranging from 3-10 problems per week. Students will need to employ critical thinking in order to complete assignments.
2. One hour per week of lecture covering subject matter from text and related material. Reading and study of the textbook, related materials and notes.