Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
---|---|---|
Semester Exam | 2 Hours written end of semester examination | 70% |
Semester Assessment | Continuous Assessment - tests in weeks 6 and 11 | 30% |
Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours written examination | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Calculate the force on a charged particle in electric and magnetic fields with the particle stationary or in motion.
2. Calculate the electric field of a system of charged particles.
3. Calculate the potential of a system of charged particles.
4. Be able to use the right hand rules to determine the induced current for a simple system.
5. Carry out calculations for simple DC circuits involving capacitors, resistors, inductors and batteries using Kirchoff's rules and other methods.
6. Carry out calculations for simple AC 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 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. A brief introduction to magnetism.
Content
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.
Magnetism:
Dipole.
Force on Particle.
Solenoid.
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 4