Syllabus Information

5.1. Methodological overview

The teaching/learning process is structured as follows:

1- Classroom lectures, in which the theoretical foundations of the subject are presented and where the student participation is encouraged. Multimedia and other bibliographic material can be accessed previously by the students on the official University digital repository.

2- Problem solving sessions, where the students show in the blackboard to their fellow colleagues how they have worked out exercises proposed by the teacher, individually or in small groups.

3- Laboratory sessions, with two separated relevant work packages. First, on the laboratory facilities, the students, organized in couples, will perform sets of experiments with test and measurement equipment and/or computer simulation software. Afterwards, they will produce a written report on a standardized format where they should present their data sets, analyze the results, compare them with theoretical models and draw the pertinent conclusions. A due date for each report will be fixed.

4- Small project work. The students will be organized in groups of four. Each group will have a proposed problem to work in. They should seek information to write a short paper with the relevant theoretical background needed to solve a specific problem. These very same theoretical foundations will be the basis to understand and explain the experimental results of a specific test that themselves will accomplish in the laboratory. A report with the data and its interpretation has to be produced, too.

5- Individualized tutoring by appointment in given dates

6- Assessment and evaluation exams

7- Student homework

5.2. Learning tasks

The program offered to the students to accomplish the desired learning objectives is organized in the following activities:

- Classroom lectures (active student participation is encouraged) (40 hours). Designed to gradually advance in the learning outcomes R1-R2-R3-R4 and R8

- Problem solving sessions (10 hours). Designed to gradually advance in the learning outcomes R1-R2-R3-R4-R5-R6 and R8. To take place in the classroom

- Laboratory sessions (10 hours) Five mandatory sessions of two hours each in which the students will work in couples. To take place on the teaching laboratories of the Department of Electronic Engineering and Communications (Ada Byron building), oriented towards learning result R7. 

- Small Project work in group  (14 hours). This mandatory activity is oriented to advance in all the proposed learning outcomes. Part of it will take place on the teaching laboratories of the Department of Electronic Engineering and Communications (Ada Byron building)

5.3. Syllabus

INTRODUCTION (1+0 h)

1.1 The electromagnetic model. Charge and current distributions. SI units and universal constants. 

1.2 Vector analysis. Differential operators. Fundamental theorems.

ELECTROMAGNETISM (15+4 h)

2.1 Electrostatics

Fundamental postulates of electrostatics in free space. Derivation of the classical experimental laws. The electric dipole. Method of images. Dielectric materials. Polarization. Equivalent charge distributions. Displacement vector. Permittivity. Modified postulates. Boundary conditions for electrostatic fields. Electrostatic energy in dielectrics.

2.2 Steady electric current. Boundary conditions for current density. Power dissipation and Joule's law.

2.3 Magnetostatics

Fundamental postulates of magnetostatics in free space. Vector magnetic potential. Derivation of the classical experimental laws. The magnetic dipole. Magnetic materials. Magnetization. Equivalent current distributions. Magnetic field intensity. Permeability. Modified postulates. Boundary conditions for magnetostatic fields.

2.4 Electromagnetic fields

Time varying fields. Faraday-Lenz law. Magnetic energy in terms of field quantities. Displacement current density. Maxwell laws in differential and integral forms. Boundary conditions for electromagnetic fields. Electromagnetic potentials. Wave equations for the potentials.

WAVES (24+6) 

3.1 Wave fundamentals.

One dimensional wave equation. Harmonic solutionss. Wave characteristic parameters. Waves in 3D. Doppler effect. Wave superposition. Standing waves. 

3.2 Electromagnetic waves in unbounded media

Retarded potentials. Time harmonic fields. The electromagnetic spectrum. Plane waves in lossless media. Transverse electromagnetic waves. Polarization of plane waves. Plane waves in lossy media. Characteristic impedance and propagation constant. Group velocity. Flow of electromagnetic power and the Poynting vector. 

3.3 Reflection and refraction of plane electromagnetic waves.

Normal incidence at a plane boundary. Reflection and refraction coefficients. Standing wave ratio. Normal incidence at a plane conducting boundary. Oblique incidence at a boundary plane. Snell's laws. Total reflection. Reflection and refraction coefficients for parallel and perpendicular polarized waves. Brewster's angle.

3.4 Waves on elastic media.

Transverse waves on a string. Phase velocity and intrinsic impedance. Standing waves. Sound waves on air. Phase velocity and intrinsic impedance. Acoustic intensity and sound pressure level. Decibels. Standing waves in open and closed pipes. Spherical sound waves. 

LABORATORY SESSIONS

1- Experimental determination of the dielectric permittivity of common insulators.

2- Finite differences numerical solution of the Laplace equation.

3- Experimental verification of the Faraday-Lenz law. Electromagnetic shielding in hollow conductors.

4- Computer simulation of plane wave propagation in different media.

5- Ultrasound propagation in air.

5.4. Course planning and calendar

Classroom lectures, problem solving and laboratory sessions will adopt the published official EINA calendar and schedule, both available online before the starting of the course.

The due date for the reports of the first four laboratory sessions is the next session date. For the fifth session the due date will be the final examination date. The due date for the project work will be announced along the course with an adequate margin.

5.5. Bibliography and recommended resources

Basic bibliography

1. D. K. Cheng. Fundamentos de electromagnetismo para ingeniería. Editorial Pearson Educación - Addison Wesley (1997)
2. P. Tipler, G. Mosca. Física para la ciencia y la tecnología 6ª ed., Vol 1B (Oscilaciones y Ondas) y 2A (Electricidad y Magnetismo). Editorial Reverté (2010)

Additional resources on the University digital repository

Additional bibliography

1. D.K. Cheng. Field and wave electromagnetics. 2ª ed. Editorial Addison-Wesley (1989)
2.  S. Ramo, J.R. Whinnery, T. van Duzer. Field and waves in communication electronics 3ª ed. Editorial Wiley (1994)
3.  F. Dios, D. Artigas, J. Recolons, A. Comerón, F. Canal. Campos electromagnéticos. Editorial Ediciones UPC S.L. (1998)
4.  L.E  Kinsler, A.R. Frey, A.B. Coppens, J.V. Sanders. Fundamentals of acoustics  4th ed. Editorial Wiley (1995)

Useful links 

Hyperphysics 

Hypermath  

S.J. Orfanidis, Electromagnetic waves and antennas