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Readings

The following readings are from the main text: Buy at Amazon Griffiths, David J. Introduction to Electrodynamics. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. ISBN: 9780138053260.

Lec # Topics Readings

1

Introduction to Fields

Vectors, Index Notation, Basic Vector Operations

Griffiths: "Advertisement" and Section 1.1

2

Review of Vector Calculus

Potential Fields, Stokes and Divergence Theorems, Curvilinear Coordinates

Griffiths: Sections 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6

Primer on Index Notation (PDF)

3

Vector Calculus in Spherical Coordinates, Volume and Area Elements, Dirac Delta Function

Griffiths: Section 1.5

4

Delta Function in Three Dimensions and in Curvilinear Coordinates, Laplacian of 1/r

Griffiths: Section 1.6

Delta Function for a Double Root (Corrected Version) (PDF)

5

Electric Field, Coulomb's and Gauss's Laws, Boundary Conditions on Electric Field

Griffiths: Sections 2.1, 2.2

6

Electric Potential, Work and Energy in Electrostatics

Griffiths: Sections 2.3, 2.4

7

Conductors and Capacitors, Laplace's Equation, Mean Value and Uniqueness Theorems

Griffiths: Sections 2.5, 3.1

8

Image Charges, Separation of Variables

Griffiths: Section 3.2

Completeness Relations (PDF)

9

Separation of Variables (cont.), Legendre Polynomials

Griffiths: Section 3.3

10

Multipole Expansion, Dipole Fields

Griffiths: Section 3.4

11

Dipoles and Electric Polarization in Matter

Griffiths: Section 4.1

12

Dielectrics, Bound and Free Charges, Electric Displacement

Griffiths: Sections 4.2-4.3

13

Boundary Value Problems with Dielectrics

Griffiths: Section 4.4

14

Lorentz Force Law, Biot-Savart Law, Ampere's Law

Griffiths: Sections 5.1-5.3

15

Magnetic Vector Potential, Boundary Conditions on B

Griffiths: Section 5.4

16

Magnetic Multipoles, Torque, Force, and Energy of Magnetic Dipoles

Griffiths: Section 6.1

17

Magnetic Materials, Paramagnetism, Diamagnetism, Magnetization, Bound Currents

Griffiths: Sections 6.2, 6.3

18

H Field, Boundary Conditions on H, Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability, Ampere's Law with Free Currents, Ferromagnetism

Griffiths: Sections 6.3, 6.4

19

Midterm Exam (Chapters 1-6)

  

20

Ohm's Law, EMFs, Faraday's Law

Griffiths: Sections 7.1, 7.2

21

Inductance, Magnetic Energy Density

Griffiths: Section 7.2

22

Displacement Current, Charge Conservation, Field Lines, Polarization Current, Maxwell Equations in Matter

Griffiths: Section 7.3

23

Boundary Conditions on Fields, Energy-momentum Conservation for EM Fields, Poynting Theorem, Charging Capacitor

Griffiths: Section 8.1

24

Momentum carried by EM Fields, Maxwell Stress Tensor, Momentum Flux

Griffiths: Section 8.2

25

Waves in One and Three Dimensions, Reflection and Transmission, Polarization

Griffiths: Section 9.1

26

Electromagnetic Waves in Vacuum, Energy and Momentum carried by EM Waves

Griffiths: Section 9.2

27

EM Waves in Matter, Reflection and Transmission at a Dielectric Interface, Laws of Geometric Optics

Griffiths: Section 9.3

28

Fresnel Equations, Polarization by Reflection, EM Waves in Imperfect Conductors

Griffiths: Section 9.4

29

How a Microwave Oven Works: Joule Heating by EM Waves in Imperfect Conductors

  

30

Lorentz Oscillator Model for Atomic Dispersion and Absorption, Negative-index Materials

Griffiths: Section 9.4.3

31

Waveguides, TE and TM Modes

Griffiths: Section 9.5

32

Helmholtz Theorem, EM Potentials, Gauge Transformations, Coulomb Gauge, Lorentz Gauge and Green's Function Solution

Griffiths: Section 10.1

33

Coulomb Gauge Potentials, Jefimenko's Equations, Lienard-Wiechert Potentials

Griffiths: Sections 10.2, 10.3.1

34

EM Fields of a Moving Point Charge, Geometric Interpretation of Radiation Fields, Radiation from an Accelerated Charge, Power Pattern

Griffiths: Sections 10.3.2, 11.2.1

35

Radiated Power, Radiation Reaction, Electric Dipole Radiation, Larmor Formula

Griffiths: Sections 11.1, 11.2.2, 11.2.3

36

Electric Quadrupole and Magnetic Dipole Radiation, Thomson Scattering

Electromagnetic Radiation and Scattering (PDF)

37

4-vectors, Lorentz Transformations, 4-current and 4-potential, Lorentz Force Law

Griffiths: Section 12.1

38

Lorentz Transformation of EM Fields, Maxwell Field Strength Tensor, Covariant Maxwell Equations

Griffiths: Section 12.3

39

Electromagnetism of Pulsars

Electromagnetic Radiation and Scattering (PDF)
 

Final Exam