Paradigms in Physics: Static Fields | 2025-Winter
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Syllabus
Course Name
Paradigms in Physics: Static Fields
Course Number
ph422
Year/Term
Winter-2025
Course Credits
4
Class meeting times
7 hours of lecture/discussion per week for five weeks.
Prerequisites
PH 422: PH 213, PH 335 (may be taken in the same term), MTH 255 (may be taken concurrently) PH 522: None
Course description
Theory of static electric, magnetic, and gravitational potentials and fields using the techniques of vector calculus in three dimensions.
Topic/Day
Activities
Resources
Homework Due
Unit: Potentials Due to Discrete Charges
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes: Potentials Due to Discrete Charges
1/6 Mon
Introduction to the Course
Introduction to Static Fields
Course Lecture Notes
Key Request Form
Research Consent Form
Review on your own(as needed):Basic Calculus, Exponentials & Logarithms, Vectors
GSF: Review of Single Variable Differentiation
GSF: Vectors
GSF: Bases
GSF: Unit Vectors
GEM 1.1.1-1.1.2
Taylor 1.2
Rules for Differentials
1/7 Tues
Electrostatic & Gravitational Potential
The Functions $1/r$ and $1/r^2$
GSF: Electrostatic and Gravitational Potentials and Potential Energies
GEM 2.3.4
GSF: Dimensions
The Position Vector
GSF: The Position Vector
GEM 1.1.4
Dot Product
GSF: The Dot Product
GEM 1.1.1
Calculating the Distance Between Two Points
The Distance Formula (Star Trek)
GSF: The Distance Formula
GEM 1.1.2, 1.1.4
Visualizing Potentials
Drawing Equipotential Surfaces
GSF: Visualization of Potentials
1/8 Wed
Visualizing Potentials
Using Technology to Visualize Potentials
Visualizing Potentials Mathematica
GSF: Using Technology to Visualize Potentials
1/9 Thurs
Superposition
Adding Functions Pointwise Electrostatic Potential Due to a Pair of Charges (without Series)
GSF: Superpositions from Discrete Sources
GSF: Two Point Charges
GEM 2.3.4
Definition of Power Series
Calculating Power Series Coefficients
Adding Functions Pointwise Calculating Coefficients for a Power Series
GMM: Definition of Power Series
GMM: Calculating Power Series Coefficients
More Power Series Information
GMM: Common Power Series
GMM: Dimensions in Power Series
GMM: Convergence of Power Series
GMM: Theorems about Power Series
Visualizing Power Series Approximations
GMM: Visualization of Power Series Approximations
Guessing Power Series
GMM: Guessing Power Series from Graphs
1/10 Fri
Potential Due to a Pair of Charges: Limiting Cases
Electrostatic Potential Due to a Pair of Charges (with Series)
GSF: Power Series for Two Point Charges
1/13 Mon
Power Series Sensemaking
Unit: Integration in Curvilinear Coordinates
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes: Integration and Differentiation in Curvilinear Coordinates
1/14 Tues
Densities
Acting Out Charge Densities
GSF: Densities
GEM 2.1.4
Modeling Nonuniform Densities
Delta Functions
GMM: The Dirac Delta Function
GMM: Properties of the Dirac Delta Function
GMM: Representations of the Dirac Delta Function
GEM 1.5
Step Functions
GMM: Step Functions
GEM 1.5.2
Video:
Step & Delta Functions
Definition of Gradient
GSF: The Geometry of the Gradient
GSF: The Gradient in Rectangular Coordinates
GEM 1.2.2-1.2.3
Curvilinear Coordinates
Curvilinear Coordinates Introduction
GSF: Curvilinear Coordinates
GSF: Change of Coordinates
GEM 1.4
1/15 Wed
Scalar Line, Surface, Volume Elements
REPLACE (Use 2654) Scalar line elements
Scalar Surface and Volume Elements
Total Charge of a Rod
GSF: Scalar Surface Elements
GSF: Triple Integrals in Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates
GEM 1.3.1, 1.4
1/16 Thurs
Total Charge: Spheres & Cylinders
Total Charge: Spheres \& Cylinders
GSF: Total Charge
1/17 Fri
Curvilinear Basis Vectors
GSF: Orthonormal Basis Vectors
GEM 1.4
1/20 Mon
MLK (No Class)
Unit: Fields from Continuous Sources
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes: Fields from Continuous Sources
1/21 Tues
Electrostatic Potential in Curvilinear Coordinates
Electrostatic Potential Due to a Ring of Charge
GSF: Potentials from Continuous Charge Distributions
GSF: Potential Due to a Uniformly Charged Ring
GEM 2.3.4
Limiting Cases
1/22 Wed
Other Continuous Sources
Potential from a Cone
GSF: Potential Due to a Finite Line of Charge
GSF: Potential Due to an Infinite Line of Charge
GEM 2.3.2
GSF: The Electric Field of a Uniform Disk
Introduction to the Lorentz Force Law
Lorentz Force Law to Words
GSF: The Lorentz Force Law
GEM 5.1, 5.3.4
Taylor 2.5
1/23 Thurs
Electric Field Due to a Point Charge
Electric Field of a Point Charge
GSF: Electric Field of a Point Charge
Vector Fields
Draw Vector Fields
GVC: Vector Fields for Mathematicians
GSF: Vector Fields for Physicists
Superposition for Electric Fields
Drawing Electric Field Vectors for Discrete Charges
GSF: Superposition for the Electric Field
GSF: The Geometry of Electric Fields
GEM 2.2.1
Electric Field for Two Point Charges
Electric Field Due to a Pair of Charges (without Series)
1/24 Fri
Electric Fields from Continuous Charge Distributions
Electric Field Due to a Ring of Charge
GSF: Electric Field from Continuous Charge Distributions
GSF: Electric Field Due to a Uniformly Charged Ring
GEM 2.1
Unit: $\vec{E}$ as a Gradient
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
1/27 Mon
Zapping with d
Review
how to find total differentials
Watch some short video:
Rules for Differentials
Product Rule
Chain Rule
and/or Read:
GSF: Leibniz vs. Newton
GSF: Differentials
GSF: Rules for Differentials
GSF: Properties of Differentials
GSF: The Multivariable Differential
GSF: Differentials: Summary
The Multivariable Differential
GMM: The Multivariable Differential
Vector Differential
Vector Differential--Rectangular
Vector Differential--Polar
Vector Differential--Curvilinear
GSF: The Vector Differential
GSF: Finding \(d\vec{r}\) on Rectangular Paths
GSF: Other Coordinate Systems
GSF: Calculating \(d\vec{r}\) in Curvilinear Coordinates
Unit: Gauss's Law (Integral)
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes: Gauss's Law (Integral Form)
1/28 Tues
Relationship of Fields
V, $\vec{E}$, U, $\vec{F}$
GSF: The Relationship between \(V\), \(\vec{E}\), \(U\), and \(\vec{F}\)
GEM 2.3.1-2.3.2
Taylor 4.2
Flux Calculation
Flux through a Paraboloid
GSF: Highly Symmetric Surfaces
GSF: Less Symmetric Surfaces
Visualizing Gradient
Acting Out the Gradient
GSF: Visualizing the Geometry of the Gradient
GSF: Using Technology to Visualize the Gradient
GEM 1.2.2-1.2.3
Taylor 4.3, 4.8
Properties of Gradient
GSF: Properties of the Gradient
Gradient in Curvilinear Coordinates
GSF: The Gradient in Curvilinear Coordinates
GSF: Formulas for Div, Grad, Curl
Electric Field Due to a Point Charge as a Gradient
GEM 2.1.1-2.1.2
Products of Vectors: Cross Product
Triple Product
Cross Product Review
GMM: Cross Product
GEM 1.1.1-1.1.3
Vector Surface Elements
GSF: Vector Surface Elements
GEM 1.3.1
Flux Definition
Acting Out Flux
GSF: Flux
GSF: Flux of the Electric Field
GEM 1.3.1, 2.2.1
1/29 Wed
Visualizing Flux
Visualizing Flux through a Cube
GSF: Flux through a Cube
Unit: Divergence and Curl
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
1/30 Thurs
Gauss's Law in Integral Form
Gauss's Law in Symmetric Situations
GSF: Gauss's Law
GSF: Gauss's Law and Symmetry
GSF: Gauss's Law for High Symmetry
GEM 2.2.3
1/31 Fri
Definition of Divergence
GSF: The Definition of Divergence
GSF: The Divergence in Curvilinear Coordinates
GEM 1.2.4
2/3 Mon
Visualization of Divergence
GSF: Exploring the Divergence
GSF: Visualizing the Divergence
Divergence Theorem
GSF: The Divergence Theorem
GEM 1.3.4
Taylor 13.7
Differential Form of Gauss's Law
GSF: Differential Form of Gauss's Law
GSF: The Divergence of a Coulomb Field
GEM 2.2.1-2.2.2
Circulation
Curl
GSF: The Geometry of Curl
GSF: The Definition of Curl
GSF: The Curl in Curvilinear Coordinates
GSF: Exploring the Curl II
GSF: Visualizing the Curl
GEM 1.2.5
Unit: Magnetic Fields
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
2/4 Tues
Lorentz Force Law
Lorentz Force and Work Done on a Rectangular Loop
Current Density
Total Current
Acting Out Current Density
GSF: Current
GEM 5.1.3, 5.2.2
Magnetic Vector Potential
Magnetic Vector Potential Due to a Spinning Charged Ring
GSF: Magnetic Vector Potential
GEM 5.4.1
2/5 Wed
Magnetic Field \(\vec{B}\) from Magnetic Vector Potential \(\vec{A}\)
GEM 5.4.1
Biot Savart Law
GSF: The Biot-Savart Law
GSF: The Magnetic Field of a Straight Wire
GSF: The Magnetic Field of a Spinning Ring
GSF: Comparing \(\vec{B}\) and \(\vec{A}\) for a Spinning Ring
GEM 5.2.2
2/6 Thurs
Ampère's Law in Integral Form
GSF: Ampère's Law
GSF: Current in a Wire
GSF: Ampère's Law and Symmetry
GSF: Ampère's Law on Cylinders
GEM 5.3.3
Stokes' Theorem
GSF: Stokes' Theorem
GEM 1.3.5
Differential Form of Ampère's Law
GSF: Differential Form of Ampère's Law
GEM 5.3.3
2/7 Fri
Review
Introduction to Static Fields
GSF: Learning Outcomes
GSF: The Relationship between \(\vec{E}\), \(V\), and \(\rho\)
GSF: The Relationship between \(\vec{B}\), \(\vec{A}\), and \(\vec{J}\)
GEM 2.3.5, 5.4.2
GEM 5.3.4
2/10, 7-9pm
FINAL EXAM
Static Fields Equation Sheet