PHS2062 Electromagnetism and optics
Faculty of Science
PHS2062 Electromagnetism and optics is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Science, offered in 2021 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 4 units, leading on to 5 units in all.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2021
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 40%
- and 3 other tasks
This is the 2021 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before PHS2062
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After PHS2062
4 units list PHS2062 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Overview
Electromagnetism and optics fundamentally underpin such modern communication technologies as radio, cellular phones, GPS, Wi-Fi, laser and optical fibres.
1. Electromagnetism: classical electromagnetic theory; Maxwell's equations; Gauss's law; Faraday's law; Ampere-Maxwell law; electric and magnetic fields in vacuum; electrodynamics.
2. Optics: geometric ray tracing; optical cavities; electromagnetic waves; Gaussian beam propagation; multiple-beam interference; polarisation; birefringence.
Offerings in 2021
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Laboratory: weekly practical work, logbooks, laboratory reports30%
- Computing workshops10%
- Assignments, tutorial activities and quizzes20%
- Examination (3 hours and 10 minutes)40%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Explain and apply the key concepts of electricity, magnetism and optics to a variety of phenomena.
- 2
Demonstrate awareness of scientific computing methods and visualisation techniques for modelling physical systems, and use computers as a tool to solve problems in optics and electromagnetism.
- 3
Use modern instruments and methods to acquire, manipulate and interpret physical data, and draw evidence based conclusions.
- 4
Write scientific reports at a level suitable for publication.
Workload and teaching
- Laboratories24 hours
- Workshops24 hours
- Lectures24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
The workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours spread across the semester (roughly 12 hours per week) - approximately an even mixture of attendance at scheduled activities and self-scheduled study time. Learning activities comprise a mixture of instructor directed, peer directed and self-directed learning, which includes face-to-face and online engagement.
Laboratories – The laboratories serve a dual purpose: they help you develop a range of experimental, analytical and communication skills, and they reinforce and extend topics covered in lectures.
Computational workshops – The number of real-life problems solvable on a whiteboard is limited. Most analysis, both in industry and in physics research, involves computer modelling. The workshops introduce you to the modern discipline of computational physics and foster deeper understanding of the corresponding lecture material in an enjoyable manner. You will use visual graphing, dynamic interactive displays, symbolic/analytic problem solving and numerical computation to explore a wide variety of problems in great depth, and create some new computer code along the way. The platform is Wolfram’s Mathematica. You will work independently, but collaborative discussions are encouraged and further assistance is provided by in-class TAs.
Lectures – The unit consists of two topics: Electromagnetism and optics. Lecture notes and/or slides for each topic will become available via Moodle, and you are encouraged to read ahead of the lectures. Problems sets highlighting consequences of the theory and giving you practice in applying it are also available on Moodle. The standard of problems and assignments is largely typical of that required in the examinations. Solutions to select problems, assignments and past exams will be posted on Moodle at appropriate times during semester, enabling you to check your progress.
Problem-solving workshops – These allow you to practise working through real problems in an environment where you are able to enrich your learning through discussions with your peers, TAs and lecturer. Assessment activities will take place during all these workshops.
Learning resources
Recommended resources
David J. Griffiths' "Introduction to Electrodynamics", 4th edition, is recommended for the Electromagnetism topic.
Eugene Hecht's "Optics", 5th edition, is recommended for the Optics topic.
Technology resources
Students are expected to regularly check Moodle and their University email accounts for announcements. Students will need to access Moodle to download course notes, upload assessment activities and complete quizzes. Coursework material will primarily be in PDF format, but may occasionally be Microsoft Office documents or other common formats (JPG, MP3, etc.). Note that you can install Microsoft Office 365 via http://intranet.monash.edu.au/esolutions/software/catalogue using your Authcate credentials.
Experimental laboratory classes make use of python – we encourage use of the freely available Anaconda distribution (for installation instructions see the Python revision Moodle book). Computational workshops are based on Mathematica (for installation instructions see the Monash Software Catalogue).
Where it fits
PHS2062 is part of 4 areas of study in the 2021 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Professor Ulrik Egede
- Dr Istvan Laszlo
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for PHS2062?
PHS2062 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
What can I take after PHS2062?
PHS2062 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 4 units, including ECE4043, PHS3000, PHS3201 and PHS3202. Those lead on to 5 units in all.
When is PHS2062 offered?
In 2021, PHS2062 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
Does PHS2062 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 40% of the final mark, alongside 3 other tasks.
Which majors and minors include PHS2062?
PHS2062 is part of Astrophysics and Physics.