Handbook

Electromagnetism is important from both fundamental and applied viewpoints. This course builds on a conceptual understanding of electricity and magnetism, developed in first year Physics, to create a unified mathematical framework for solving problems involving electromagnetic phenomena in terms of the Maxwell equations. The topics covered are framed to emphasize the intimate relation between electric and magnetic fields, the sources that generate them, and their fundamental connection with universal physical quantitates such as force, energy, and momentum. Appropriate microscopic theories are used to understand the modification of electromagnetic fields inside different types of matter. This course has a strong practical emphasis and is aimed at developing a range of analytical tools for solving realistic problems. These are explored in both lectures and tutorials as well as through a range of experiments, where students can gain hands-on experience with modern techniques for measuring electrical, magnetic and associated effects.