Syllabus
for Physics 411 – Fall 2014
Electricity and Magnetism
(Check here
frequently for important announcements related
to the course)
Official Course Description: Title: Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism; Credits: 4; Grade Method: REG/P-F/AUD;
Prerequisite: PHYS374; Topics: Foundations
of electromagnetic theory, with extensive applications of the methods. Thorough treatment of wave properties of solutions of Maxwell's
equations.
Instructor: Professor Kaustubh Agashe Phone: (301)-405-6018
Office (note different building than lecture!): Room
3118 of
Office Hours (note locations
and days carefully): Tuesday 2.00-3.00 pm. in Rm. 3118 PSC and Thursday
1.00-2.00 pm. in Rm. 1304 of Toll building (the one
on
Thursdays will be sort
of an informal discussion session, i.e., you are not required to attend
it, but it will be useful to do so!).
Teaching Assistant: Donggeun Tak [email: takdg123_at_gmail.com; office: Rm 3101 of Toll building; Phone: (301)] 219-0836; Office hours (note locations and days carefully):
Monday 1.00-2.00 pm. in Rm. 1304 of Toll building (this will be sort of an informal discussion session, i.e., you are not required to attend it, but it will be
useful to do so!) and Wednesday 1.45- 2.45 pm. in Rm 3101 of Toll building.It might be possible to have office hours at other times by appointment.
Lecture
Time: 11:00-11:50 pm. on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
Lecture
Room: Room
1402,
Required
Textbook: Introduction to Electrodynamics, D.J.
Homework: The homework assignments (problem sets) will generally be
assigned here on Tuesdays, and should be handed in class the following
Thursday or in folder outside Room 4119 by 5 pm..
Late homework will be accepted at the discretion
of the instructor (in particular, a valid documented excuse
such a medical problem, religious holiday, or serious family crisis is
required)., but not after solutions have been handed out.
No homework will be dropped for any reason. For full credit for any written homework or
exam problem,
in addition to the correct answer, you must show the
steps/justify your approach as much as possible.
Solutions to homework (and exams) will be posted here.
Exams: There will be 2 exams given during the lecture periods (50
minutes in length). Both exams will contribute to the final grade for the
course. The final exam will be given during the standard exam period. The date
and time of the exam are not yet determined. You must take the final exam to
pass the course. There will be no
make-up for the exams, unless there is a strong documented excuse (medical
problem, religious holiday, or serious family crisis).
Details such as which topics will be covered in each exam,
whether crib sheets will be allowed etc. will be posted later.
Grade: The semester grade will be based on the homework, in-class
exams and the final exam
with the following tentative weights: 2 in-class exams: 50%, homework: 15%, final
exam: 35%
Attendance: Regular attendance and participation in this class is the best
way to grasp the concepts and principles being discussed. Please
try to attend every class and to read up the relevant chapter(s) of the
textbook before coming to the class.
Some
class notes will be posted here.
Academic Honesty: Note that, although you are encouraged to discuss
homework with other students, any work you submit must be your own and should
reflect your own understanding. In fact, the main way
you will understand Physics (and thus do well on the exams) is by doing the
homework (that too by yourself).
In addition, academic dishonesty, such as cheating
on an exam or copying homework, is a serious offense which may result in
suspension or expulsion from the University.