Module Identifier
PH02510
Module Title
INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM
Academic Year
2008/2009
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Co-Requisite
None
Mutually Exclusive
Not available to students on 3 year BSc (Hons) or 4 year MPhys schemes
Pre-Requisite
GCSE Mathematics and Science, or equivalent
Other Staff
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type |
Delivery length / details |
| Lecture |
22 Hours. |
| Seminars / Tutorials |
3 Hours. Tutorial. |
Assessment
| Assessment Type |
Assessment length / details |
Proportion |
| Semester Exam |
2 Hours
written examination
End of semester examination
|
80% |
| Semester Assessment |
tests in weeks 6 and 11
Continuous Assessment:
|
20% |
| Supplementary Exam |
2 Hours
written examination
|
100% |
Learning Outcomes
After taking this module students should be able to:
- Calculate the force on a charged particle in electric and magnetic fields.
- Describe the motion of a charged particle in a uniform electric field.
- Calculate the potential of a system of charged particles.
- Describe the structure and function of resistors, and capacitors.
- Carry out calculations on capacitors involving stored energy, charging and discharging.
- Calculate internal resistance, energy and power in DC circuits.
- Calculate DC currents and voltages in resistor networks using Kirchoff's rules.
- Calculate reactance and impedance in AC circuits.
- Use phasor diagrams, vector methods and complex numbers to analyse AC circuits.
- Apply conditions or resonance in RCL circuits.
Brief description
The concept of electric charge is introduced and electric force, field and potential are explained in terms of Coulomb's Law with illustrative examples. The alternative approach of Gauss's Law is introduced. The flow of charge is considered and this leads to Ohm's Law and the concept of resistance. Capacitors and resistors are examined and examples are given of their use in electric circuits.
Content
Electric Charge:
Positive and negative charge
Conductors, insulators and semiconductors
Coulomb's Law
Electric field, potential and equipotentials
Force on and motion of charged particle in a uniform electric field
Charge and discharge of capacitors, time constant and half life decay
Capacitors - construction, series and parallel combinations, stored energy.
DC Electricity:
Current and resistance;resistance, Ohm's Law, resistivity, ammeters, voltmeters
DC circuits - resistors in series and parallel, internal resistance, energy, power
Potential dicider circuits
Kirchoff's rules.
AC Electricity:
AC currents in resistive, capacitive and inductive circuits; reactance and impedence
Analysis of AC circuits using phasor diagrams, vector methods and complex numbers
Power and phase angle
RCL circuits in series and parallel, conditions for resonance