Course Syllabus

Graduate Electrodynamics 1

PHY6346-3917(17877)

Class Periods: MWF Period 8 (3:00-3:50pm)

Location: NPB1101

Academic Term: Fall 2022

Instructor:

  • Richard Woodard, NPB 2065
  • woodard@phys.ufl.edu
  • +1-352-392-8744
  • Office Hours: F9 (4:05-4:55pm) and S6 (12:50-1:40pm)

Canvas Information

Canvas is the where course content, grades, and communication will reside for this course.

  • ufl.instructure.com
  • For Canvas, Passwords, or any other computer-related technical support contact the IT Service Desk.
    • 123 123-1234
    • 877 878-8325
    • http://it.myinstitution.edu
    • itsupport@myinstitution.edu

Course Description: PHY 6346 Graduate Electrodynamics 1, 3 Credits, Letter Grade

Electrostatics, special function expansions, magnetostatics, linear media, time dependent Maxwell theory, wave propagation and dispersion, diffraction, radiation, applications.

Course Pre-Requisites (if you are not a physics graduate student)

  • PHY3323 and PHY4324 - Undergraduate Electromagnetism

Course Objectives

The point of this course is not to study new electrodynamical systems, although that may happen in some cases. It is rather to make the passage from undergraduate to graduate analysis, to embed classical electrodynamics within the powerful framework of fundamental theory, and to understand electrodynamics as humanity's first relativistic, unified field theory. This will be accomplished by:

  • Exploiting the power of dimensional analysis.
  • Using vector differential operators.
  • Understanding how to transform between Cartesian, Cylindrical and Spherical coordinates.
  • Using the Dirac delta function to represent the charge and current densities of point charges.
  • Seeing that the derivative of a step function is a delta function.
  • Using Green's functions to solve differential equations for arbitrary sources.
  • Using indicial tensor manipulation in which a tensor is considered as a function of its indices.
  • Using the Levi-Civita symbol to describe the BAC-CAB rule.
  • Understanding the physical origin of polarization and magnetization.
  • Understanding electromagnetic boundary conditions on surfaces.
  • Distinguishing the dynamical Maxwell equations from those which follow from the use of potentials.
  • Understanding the restrictions imposed on fundamental theory by symmetry and stability.

Required Text

  • Classical Electrodynamics
  • J. D. Jackson
  • 3rd Edition, 1998
  • ISBN 10:047130932X

Course Schedule

  • Day 1 (Aug. 24) Introductory comments.
  • Day 2 (Aug. 26) Sections 1.1 - 1.4 in Jackson.
  • Homework #1 due by 6pm on Aug. 28
  • Day 3 (Aug. 29) Sections 1.5 - 1.10 in Jackson.
  • Day 4 (Aug. 31) Sections 1.11 - 1.13 in Jackson.
  • Day 5 (Sept. 2) Sections 2.1 - 2.4 in Jackson.
  • Labor Day Holiday (Sept. 5)
  • Homework #2 due by 6pm on Sept. 6
  • Day 6 (Sept. 7) Sections 2.5 - 2.7 in Jackson.
  • Day 7 (Sept. 9) Sections 2.8 - 2.9 in Jackson.
  • Homework #3 due by 6pm on Sept. 11
  • Day 8 (Sept. 12) Sections 2.10 - 2.11 in Jackson.
  • Day 9 (Sept. 14) Section 2.12 in Jackson.
  • Day 10 (Sept. 16) Sections 3.1 - 3.3 in Jackson.
  • Homework #4 due by 6pm on Sept. 18
  • Day 11 (Sept. 19) Sections 3.4 - 3.6 in Jackson.
  • Day 12 (Sept. 21) Sections 3.7 - 3.8 in Jackson.
  • Day 13 (Sept. 23) Sections 3.9 - 3.10 in Jackson.
  • Homework #5 due by 6pm on Sept. 25
  • Day 14 (Sept. 26) Sections 3.11 - 3.13 in Jackson.
  • Day 15 (Sept. 28) Hurricane Ian closure.
  • Day 16 (Sept. 30) Hurricane Ian closure.
  • Homework #6 due by 6pm on Oct. 2
  • Day 17 (Oct. 3) Complete Chapter 3 in Jackson.
  • Day 18 (Oct. 5) Review for Exam #1.
  • UF Homecoming Holiday (Oct. 7)
  • Homework #7 (Practice Exam #1) due by 6pm on Oct. 9
  • Day 19 (Oct. 10) Go over Practice Exam #1.
  • Exam #1 (Chapters 1-3) 7:20-10:10pm on Oct. 10
  • Day 20 (Oct. 12) Special lecture on tensors.
  • Day 21 (Oct. 14) Section 4.1 - 4.2 in Jackson.
  • Homework #8 due by 6pm on Oct. 16
  • Day 22 (Oct.17) Sections 4.3 - 4.4 in Jackson.
  • Day 23 (Oct. 19) Sections 4.5 - 4.6 in Jackson.
  • Day 24 (Oct. 21) Section 4.7 in Jackson.
  • Homework #9 due by 6pm on Oct. 23 
  • Day 25 (Oct. 24) Sections 5.1 - 5.2 in Jackson.
  • Day 26 (Oct. 26) Sections 5.3 - 5.5 in Jackson.
  • Day 27 (Oct. 28) Sections 5.6 - 5.7 in Jackson.
  • Homework #10 due by 6pm on Oct. 30
  • Day 28 (Oct. 31) Sections 5.8 - 5.9 in Jackson.
  • Day 29 (Nov. 2) Sections 5.10 - 5.11 in Jackson.
  • Day 30 (Nov. 4) Sections 5.12 - 5.14 in Jackson.
  • United States changes to Standard Time at 2am on Nov. 6
  • Homework #11 due by 6pm on Nov. 6
  • Day 31 (Nov. 7) Sections 5.15 - 5.16 in Jackson.
  • Day 32 (Nov. 9) Sections 5.17 - 5.18 in Jackson.
  • Veteran's Day Holiday (Nov. 11)
  • Homework #12 due by 6pm on Nov. 13
  • Day 33 (Nov. 14) Sections 6.1 - 6.4 in Jackson. 
  • Day 34 (Nov. 16) Section 6.5 in Jackson.
  • Day 35 (Nov. 18) Section 6.6 in Jackson.
  • Homework #13 due by 6pm on Nov. 20
  • Day 36 (Nov. 21) Sections 6.7 - 6.9 in Jackson.
  • Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov. 23)
  • Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov. 25)
  • Day 37 (Nov. 28) Sections 6.10 - 6.13 in Jackson.
  • Day 38 (Nov. 30) Special lecture on the embedding of relativity in electromagnetism.
  • Day 39 (Dec. 2) Go over Practice Exam #2.
  • Homework #14 due by 6pm on Dec. 4
  • Day 40 (Dec. 5) Review for Exam #2.
  • Exam #2 (Chapters 4-6) 7:20-10:10pm on Dec. 5
  • Day 41 (Dec. 7) Discuss Exam #2 & Final Grades

Attendance Policy, Class Expectations, and Make-Up Policy

Students are expected to attend lectures but attendance will not be taken, nor is there any penalty for absence. Class notes will be posted under ``Files''. Homework will be assigned weekly, due on Sundays by 6pm and returned in class on Mondays. There will be two exams, 7:20-10:10pm on Mondays, on Oct. 10 and Dec. 5. Excusing missed assignments must be consistent with university policies in the Graduate Catalog (Link) and will require appropriate documentation.

Evaluation of Grades

Assignment Total Points Percentage of Final Grade
Homework Sets (14) 15 each 30%
Exams (2) 245 each 70%
Totals 700 100%

Grading Policy (Grade cutoffs may be lowered but they will not be raised)

Percent Points
 Grade Grade Points
85 - 100 595 - 700 A 4.00
80 - 85 560 - 595 A- 3.67
75 - 80 525 - 560 B+ 3.33
70 - 75 490 - 525 B 3.00
65 - 70 455 - 490 B- 2.67
60 - 65 420 - 455 C+ 2.33
55 - 60 385 - 420 C 2.00
50 - 55 350 - 385 C- 1.67
45 - 50 315 - 350 D+ 1.33
40 - 45 280 - 315 D 1.00
35 - 40 245 - 280 D- 0.67
  0 - 35     0 - 245 E 0.00

Students Requiring Accommodations

Students with disabilities who experience learning barriers and would like to request academic accommodations should connect with the disability Resource Center by visiting Link . It is important for students to share their accommodation letter with their instructor and discuss their access needs, as early as possible in the semester.

Course Evaluation

Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing online evaluations at Link . Evaluations are typically open during the last two or three weeks of the semester, but students will be given specific times when they are open. Summary results of these assessments are available to students at Link .

University Honesty Policy

UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, ``We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code. On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: ``On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.'' The Honor Code (Link) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions. Furthermore, you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor.

Software Use

All faculty, staff, and students of the University are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use. Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator. Because such violations are also against University policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate. We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to uphold ourselves and our peers to the highest standard of honesty and integrity.

Student Privacy

As in all courses, unauthorized recording and unauthorized sharing of recorded materials is prohibited. Also, there are federal laws protecting your privacy with regards to grades earned in courses and on individual assignments. For more information, please see Link .

Health and Wellness

  • U Matter, We Care: If you or a friend is in distress, please contact umatter@ufl.edu or 352 392-1575 so that a team member can reach out to the student.
  • Counseling and Wellness Center: http://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc, and  392-1575; and the University Police Department: 392-1111 or 9-1-1 for emergencies.
  • Sexual Assault Recovery Services (SARS) Student Health Care Center, 392-1161.
  • University Police Department at 392-1111 (or 9-1-1 for emergencies), or http://www.police.ufl.edu/.

Academic Resources