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PHY1510H S (FAS PHY450H)
Electromagnetism

Official description

The course illustrates, using classical electromagnetism, how symmetry principles and scaling arguments combine to determine the basic laws of physics. It is shown that the electromagnetic action (from which follow the equations of motion) is uniquely fixed by the principles of special relativity, gauge invariance, and locality. Additional topics include motion of relativistic particles in external electric and magnetic fields, radiation from point charges, and the breakdown of classical electromagnetism.

Prerequisite
PHY350H1
Textbook
                            Required: 
(A) The Classical Theory of Fields by Landau and Lifshitz and 
(B) Introduction to Electrodynamics, 4th ed by D. Griffiths
                        
Breadth requirement
BR=TBA
Distribution requirement
DR=SCI

Additional information

Cross listed undergraduate course link: Relativistic Electrodynamics - PHY450H1

An introduction to relativistic electrodynamics.  Topics include:  special relativity, four-vectors and tensors, relativistic dynamics from the Principle of Stationary Action and Maxwell's equations in Lorentz covariant form.  Noether's theorem for fields and the energy-momentum tensor.  Fields of moving charges and electromagnetic radiation:  retarded potential, Lienard-Wiechert potentials, multipole expansion, radiation reaction.

course title
PHY1510H S (FAS PHY450H)
session
winter
group
cross listed course
time and location
Lecture: Wed and Fri, 12 noon, MP 134 Tutorial: Tue, 12 noon, MP 134
instructor
Luke, Michael
Michael Luke