CLASSICAL ELECTRODYNAMICS – II

Paper Code: 
PHY 321
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

This course will enable the students to –

  1. To  enable the students to apply tools of electrodynamics and relativity to various physical problems related to moving charges, Plasma formation and its impact on behavior of particle.
  2. To make the students learn  Covariant Form of Electrodynamic Equation, Radiation by moving charges, Radiation damping etc.

 

Course outcomes (COs):

                     Course

Learning outcome (at course level)

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Paper Code

Paper Title

PHY 321

Classical Electrodynamics – II

(Theory)

 

After the completion of this course the student will be able to:

CO 82: Apply Maxwell’s equations to a variety of problems.

CO 83: Solve problems involving the propagation and scattering of electromagnetic waves in a variety of media.

CO 84: Acquire a good understanding of Special Relativity, especially as applied to electrodynamics.

CO 85: Demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of electromagnetic radiation by moving charges.

CO 86: Develop understanding of the covariant formulation of electrodynamics and the concept of retarded time for charges undergoing acceleration

Approach in teaching:

Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Tutorials, , Demonstration, Problem Solving

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning activities for the students:

Self learning assignments, Effective questions,  Seminar presentation, Solving numerical

Additional learning through online videos and MOOC courses

Class test, Semester end examinations, Quiz, Solving problems , Assignments, Presentations

 

12.00
Unit I: 
Plane Electromagnetic Waves and Wave Equation
Plane wave in a non-conducting medium. Frequency dispersion characteristics of dielectrics, conductors and plasma, waves in a conducting or dissipative medium, superposition of waves in one dimension, group velocity, causalty, connection between D and E, Kramers-Kroning relation.
 
11.00
Unit II: 
Magneto hydrodynamics and Plasma Physics
Introduction and definitions, MHD equations, Magnetic diffusion, viscosity and pressure, Pinch effect, instabilities in pinched plasma column, Magneto hydrodynamics wave, Plasma oscillations, short wave length limit of plasma oscillations and Debye shielding distance.
 
12.00
Unit III: 
Covariant Form of Electrodynamic Equations
(a) Mathematical properties of the space-time special relativity, Invariance of electric charge, covariance of electrodynamics, Transformation of electromagnetic field.
(b) Thomson scattering and radiation, Scattering by quasi-free charges, coherent and incoherent scattering, Cherenkov radiation.
 
13.00
Unit IV: 
Radiation by moving charges
Solution of inhomogeneous wave equation by Fourier analysis; Lienard-Wiechert Potential for a point charge, Total power radiated by an accelerated charge, Larmour's formula and its relativistic generalization, Angular distribution of radiation emitted by an accelerated charge, Radiation emitted by a charge in arbitrary extremely relativistic motion. 
 
12.00
Unit V: 
Radiation damping
Introductory considerations, Radiative reaction force from conservation of energy, Abraham Lorentz evaluation of the self force, difficulties with Abraham Lorentz model, Integro-differential equation of motion including radiation damping, Line Breadth and level shift of an oscillator, Scattering and absorption of radiation by an oscillator.
 
 
 
 

BOOKS RECOMMENDED:

  • Classical Electrodynamics : Jackson
  • Classical Electricity and Magnetism : Panofsky and Philips.
  • Introduction to Electrodynamics : Griffiths.
  • Classical Theory of Field : Landau and Lifshitz.
  • Electrodynamics of Continuous Media : Landau and Lifshitz.

 

Academic Year: 
2020-2021
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