Electrodynamics-I, Physics 831 (Wysin)
Kansas State University, Fall 2015.


Overview:

The course is intended for graduate students in physics who have already had an introductory course in Electric and Magnetic Fields, or Electrodynamics, at the level of texts like:

Introduction to Electrodynamics, by David J. Griffiths, Prentice-Hall, Inc. (1999);
Classical Theory of Electromagnetism, by Baldassare Di Bartolo, Prentice-Hall (1991).
Electromagnetic Fields and Waves, by Corson and Lorrain, W. H. Freeman and Co. (1970);
Foundations of Electromagnetic Theory, by Reitz and Milford, Addison-Weseley (1967);

The presentation here is at the graduate physics level. The student is expected to have a fairly good grasp of many of the basic concepts in EM theory. In general, the implications of Maxwell's equations for the electromagnetic field will be studied, from electrostatics to magnetostatics to basic time-dependence such as Faraday's law, and properties of EM waves.

In addition to expanding the application of these concepts to more general problems, a significant part of the course will involve the development of expertise in more advanced mathematical techniques, including especially the always interesting Green's functions, generating functions, Bessel functions, Legendre functions, and spherical harmonics. A solid understanding of how to manipulate these gives you a much stronger toolbox for confidence in analyzing a wider range of geometries and problems!

For more course information, including style of homework submission and grading,
go here: Fall 2015 Physics 831 Syllabus.

Prof. Gary M. Wysin, wysin@phys.ksu.edu.
Office hours: TU 11:00-12:30, CW 309, 785-532-1628.

Copyright 2015 (Gary M. Wysin) as to this website contents, including the syllabus, exams, problems and lecture notes.


Textbooks

The textbook for the course is the world-famous, excellent, but sometimes hard-for-students-to-read book by J. D. Jackson:

Classical Electrodynamics, Third Edition, by John David Jackson, John Wiley and Sons, (1998).

This is the book with the blue hardcover, where he changed to SI (System-International or meter-kilogram-second-ampere) units for the first 10 chapters. The earlier editions from which I've based my notes used the simpler CGS (cm-gram-sec) system, where electric and magnetic fields have the same units. I've tried to incorporate both systems here, using the Coulomb's Law electric coupling factor k=1 for CGS and k=1/(4 π ε   0) for SI, noting the different definitions of displacement field D in the two systems, and other unit factors for the magnetic quantities, where appropriate.

Other Useful Textbooks

Some mathematical help for things like delta-functions, Green functions, etc., might be found in various Math-Methods textbooks, like:

Mathematical Methods for Physicists, by George B. Arfken and Hans J. Weber, Academic Press, Fourth Edition (1995).
Mathematics of Classical and Quantum Physics, by Frederick W. Byron and Robert W. Fuller, Addison-Wesley (1969).

Lecture Notes

Scanned images of my lecture notes. Sometimes there are too many pages trying to explain the various steps in some simple arguments...
but, you can follow the presentation at the board with these.

    I. Survey: Domain and limitations of classical electrodynamics; CGS/SI units
    CGS units: More on CGS vs. SI electric and magnetic units

    Chapter 1: Electric field, charge density, Dirac delta-functions
    Chapter 1: Gauss' Law, potential, field energy
    Chapter 1: Poisson, Laplace eqs. and Green's functions approach

    Chapter 2: Surface charge density; Method of Images
    Chapter 2: Green function construction from image solutions
    Chapter 2: Conformal mapping solutions for 2D geometries
    Chapter 2: Laplace Eqn, in Cartesian coordinates; Orthogonal functions
    Chapter 2: Laplace Equation in 2D corners
    Chapter 2: Example of solving a 2D Poisson equation

    First Exam, Chapters I, 1, 2. September 25.

    2015 Exam 1, Chapters I, 1, 2,
    2015 Exam 1 solution

    Chapter 3: Laplace Equation in Spherical coordinates
    Chapter 3: Electrostatic potential problems with azimuthal symmetry
    Chapter 3: Electrostatic potential problems lacking azimuthal symmetry
    Chapter 3: Laplace Equation in Cylindrical coordinates; Bessel functions
    Chapter 3: On finding Green's functions in 3D and using eigenfunction expansions

    Chapter 4: Multipoles, polarization, susceptibility, and dielectrics
    Chapter 4: Boundary value problems with dielectrics
    Chapter 4: Molecular polarizability; Dielectric electrostatic energy

    Chapter 5: Differences in CGS and SI units in Magnetism

    Chapter 5: Magnetic Induction B, Forces, Biot-Savart Law and Ampere's Law (CGS)
    Chapter 5: Magnetic moments; magnetic boundary conditions (CGS)
    Chapter 5: Magnetic materials and boundary value problems (CGS)

    Chapter 5: Magnetic Induction B, Forces, Biot-Savart Law and Ampere's Law (SI)
    Chapter 5: Magnetic moments; magnetic boundary conditions (SI)
    Chapter 5: Magnetic materials and boundary value problems (SI)
    Chapter 5/6: Coupling of E and B: Faraday's Law, Maxwell's displacement current

    Second Exam, Chapters 3, 4, 5. November 6.

    2015 Exam 2, Chapters 3, 4, 5,
    2015 Exam 2 solution

    Chapter 6: Vector and scalar potentials
    Chapter 6: Green function for wave equation
    Chapter 6: Magnetic field energy; EM field energy and momentum conservation
    Chapter 6: Harmonic EM fields, energy conservation and EM device impedance.
    Chapter 6: Symmetries under orthogonal transformations
    Chapter 6: Dirac's arguments about magnetic monopoles (CGS)

    Chapter 7: Plane electromagnetic wave propagation, energy, polarization
    Chapter 7: Reflection, refraction, total internal reflection at an interface
    Chapter 7: Propagation with dispersion, absorption, conductivity
    Chapter 7: Plane waves in conductors (SI)
    Chapter 7: Plane waves in conductors (CGS)
    Chapter 7: Causality and Kramers-Kronig relations
    Chapter 7: Other comments on EM wave propagation

    Chapter 8: Field Properties and Boundary Conditions in Cylindrical Wave Guides (SI)
    Chapter 8: Transverse ElectroMagnetic, TE and TM Modes in Cylindrical Wave Guides (SI)
    Chapter 8: Modes in Resonant Cavities, Damping; Schumann Resonances of Earth (SI)
    Chapter 8: Dielectric Wave Guides: Multimode Fiber Ray Optics (SI)
    Chapter 8: Dielectric Wave Guides: Single-Mode Fiber Wave Optics (SI)
    Chapter 8: Generation of Modes in Waveguides and Cavities due to Sources (SI)

    Chapter 8: Transverse Electric, Transverse Magnetic, TEM Modes in Cylindrical Wave Guides (CGS)
    Chapter 8: Modes in Resonant Cavities (CGS)
    Chapter 8: Damping of Modes in Waveguides and Cavities (CGS)
    Chapter 8: Dielectric Wave Guides (Fiber Optics) (CGS)
    Chapter 8: Generation of Modes in Waveguides and Cavities due to Sources (CGS)

    From Classical to Quantum ED: Approaches to quantization of EM fields; photons (CGS)
    Quantization of the free electromagnetic field: More details on photons and operators (CGS)

    Final Exam, Chapters 6 & 7. December 18, 2:00-3:50 p.m.

    2015 Exam 3, Chapters 6 & 7
    2015 Exam 3 solution

Exams from previous semesters

    2014 Midterm Exam, Chapters I, 1, 2, 3, 4
    2014 Midterm solution
    2005 Midterm Exam, Chapters I, 1, 2, 3, 4
    2005 Midterm solution

    2014 Final Exam, Chapters 5, 6, 7
    2014 Final Exam solution
    2005 Final Exam, Chapters 5, 6, 7.
    2005 Final Exam solution

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access since 2005/08/25.


Last update: Sunday December 20 2015.
email to --> wysin@phys.ksu.edu