Basic Concepts of Electromagnetism

Designated Faculty
Faculties of Engineering, Science, Medical and Dental Sciences.
Content
In this course, we are going to integrate all the electric and magnetic "laws" that you
learned at high school into the framework of "electromagnetism".
Course Objectives
To understand that all the electric and magnetic laws are reduced to the "Maxwell's
equations".
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, you are expected to understand that
(1) the Coulomb's law is integrated into the Gauss' law,
(2) the Biot-Savart's law is integrated into the Ampere's law that includes displacement
current,
(3) dynamical electric field generates dynamical magnetic field, and vice versa,
(4) the Coulomb's, Biot-Savart's, Ampere's and Faraday's laws are all reduced to the
Maxwell's equations,
(5) visible lights, radio waves, microwaves and X-rays are all electromagnetic waves.

Prerequisites
Basically, you are required to be able to differentiate and integrate vectors,
polynominal functions, triangle functions and exponential functions. Also required is
that you are well-trained in complex numbers and complex planes.
Course Requirements
(1) Many students tend to regard doing physics as "remembering many complicated
"formulas" and using them properly". This is completely wrong. The real thing is,
"There are no such things as "formulas" in physics. Physics is built upon a very few
number of "laws". In electromagnetism, "the Maxwells equations" is everything."
(2) You might want to "think from the inside of your brain and speak with your own
words". The TV programs NHK "Professional" and NHK ETV "Science Zero" are
highly recommended.
Course Organization
This course does not consists of conventional lectures (which you may regard dull).
Instead, I present you a couple of problems and show you how they are solved. In this
process, you are going to realize what the basic concepts of physics are like and how
to use the mathematics for physics.
<1st - 5th week > Electrostatic field, electric potential, the Coulombs law, the Gauss
law.

- To define an electrostatic field in terms of the Coulombs law. To understand that the
field is a conservative force. To define an electric potential from an electrostatic field.
- To integrate the Coulombs law into the Gauss law.
< 6th-11th week > Static magnetic field, stationary current, the Biot-Savarts law and
the Amperes law.
- To define a static magnetic field in terms of the Lorentzs force. To see how a static
magnetic field influences stationary currents.
- To be able to use the Biot-Savarts law and its integrated form, the Amperes law. To
understand that a stationary current produces a static magnetic field.
- To clarify the similarities and differences between the electrostatic field and the static
magnetic field. To note that no magnetic monopoles exist.
(In around the 7th week, you are going to have the mid-term examination.)
<12th -15th week > Dynamical electric and magnetic field. The Maxwells equations.
- To understand the electromagnetic induction. To be able to use the Faradays law. To
understand that a time-dependent (dynamical) magnetic field generates a dynamical
electric field. To note that a dynamical electric field is NOT a conservative force.
- To introduce the concept of a displacement current from the principle of charge
conservation. To understand that a dynamical electric field generates a dynamical
magnetic field.
- The Maxwells equations. To clarify which equations hold in both the static and
dynamical cases. To understand that visible lights, radio waves, microwaves and X-rays
are all electromagnetic waves.
Grading Proccedure
In almost all lectures, I give you a small test. If you skip the final exam, the unit is not
going to be given. Your "Primary Grade" is given as the better point between the midterm and the final exam. If the final exam point is less than the mid-term one, the
average of the two points is the "Primary Grade". The 90% (10%) of your "Total Grade"
is the "Primary Grade" (the "Sum of the Small Tests"). Note that you would lose the
right to attend the lectures, and hence the unit, if you troubled others during the class by
going in or out without permissions, talking, using your cellphone, and so forth. If you
are late for the class by 15 minutes or more, you are not allowed to get in the classroom.
Textbook
Physics for Scientists and Engineers III --- Electromagnetism by R. A. Serway,