Assignments

As for all physics units, problem solving is an essential aid to understanding the physical concepts involved and the mathematical tools that must be used. Regular assignments will be set and the problems marked and returned within two weeks. There will be four assignments overall: two assignments in the first half of the course on electromagnetism, and two assignments in the second half of the course on optics. Informal group discussion regarding the assignment problems is encouraged, but students should present their own solutions and should explicitly acknowledge those they have worked with on the assignment. You should also note that the examination in general contains material related to the assignment work.

3000-level students should not need to be reminded that working on problems is an essential part of any physics course.  It is only by attempting problems that an understanding of new (and sometimes strange) concepts is obtained.  Do not hesitate to seek help if you are having difficulties with the assignment problems.

Extension Requests: Given the importance we place on assignments as a key aid to learning we expect assignments to be submitted on time.  In turn, we undertake to return your assignments (provided they were submitted on time), marked and with feedback within two weeks of their due date.  This will allow us to provide you feedback in time to aid your ongoing learning through the course.  Extensions will only be considered if requested with valid reasons prior to the due date.   

Perusall

This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks). 

You will be required to do preclass readings on the online platform 'Perusall' . We will set readings due at the start of weeks 2 to 11, with 1% allocated for reading and making comments on that week's text. To pass the hurdle requirement, you must comment on at least 6 weeks of reading material. A guide to using Perusall will be provided in week 1. 

Laboratory work

This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

During the session, you are required to carry out four experiments. The first two labs will take three weeks, and the second two will take two weeks. Labs start in Week 1!

You will submit one draft report, and two final reports according to the lab timetable provided on iLearn. These dates are not negotiable except in cases of serious illness or misadventure. A late penalty may otherwise be imposed. The two final reports are each worth 10% of the unit total. 

Your draft report is not formally assessed, but will be carefully reviewed and returned to you with corrections and feedback to enable you to produce a improved final report to resubmit for grading. This submission of a first draft is a necessary part of acquiring the skills for constructing a professional scientific report. No draft of the second report is required, but you can of course ask for informal feedback.

Logbooks with the record of experimental data are to be kept, and will be retained at the end of the session. Your records of the two experiments that you did not write full reports for will be assessed, each of the two worth 5% of the unit total. Logbooks will be assessed for readability, layout, completeness and clarity. While not a formal report, a full record of the experiment in your logbook must include relevant calculations and graphs for each experiment. Raw results with no analysis are not acceptable.

​The two formal reports (20%) and the two lab book records (10%) make a total of 30% for the laboratory assessment.

Satisfactory completion of the laboratory assessment is a hurdle task. You must achieve at least 40% in each of the four assessed tasks to pass the unit. If you fail to reach this mark, you must arrange to retake that assessment item, after discussion with the marker. 

End-of-session examination

This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

There will be a 3 hour end-of-session final exam to be held in the University Examination Period.

You should have a scientific calculator for use during the final examination. Note that calculators with text retrieval are not permitted for the final examination.

The final examination is a hurdle requirement. You must obtain a mark of at least 40% in the final exam to be eligible to pass the unit. If your mark in the final examination is between 30% and 39% inclusive, you may be a given a second and final chance to attain the required level of performance; the mark awarded for the second exam towards your final unit mark will be capped at 40%, and you will be allowed to sit the second exam only if this mark would be sufficient to pass the unit overall. 

If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.

If you are given a second opportunity to sit the final examination as a result of failing to meet the minimum mark required, you will be offered that chance during the same supplementary examination period and will be notified of the exact day and time after the publication of final results for the unit.

Classes

There are two online lectures per week, and one on-campus SGTA.

The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at: https://timetables.mq.edu.au/2021/

Labs are on-campus.Schedule for labs with be on iLearn

Required and Recommended Texts and/or Materials

Required Text

Electromagnetism: Introduction to Electrodynamics, DJ Griffiths, 3rd or 4th edition (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N J). Sections of this text will be made available on Perusall.

Recommended Readings

The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol II, Addison Wesley

Technology Used and Required

Unit Web Page

This unit will be administered through iLearn. Please check this site regularly for lecture and extension material available for downloading and look out for announcements. We will run one or more discussion fora through the iLearn page for both technical physics and administrative issues. Staff will ignore emails and discussion questions about issues which are already explained in this document or which have been covered in the announcements and discussion features of the iLearn page.

Teaching and Learning Strategy

The theoretical aspects of this unit are taught in lectures and tutorials with fortnightly assignments to strengthen the understanding of the material. The theoretical material is heavily mathematical in nature, and often abstract, and true understanding can only be achieved through testing and refining understanding through problem solving.

The experimental aspects of the unit require students to attend laboratories where they will be expected to set up experiments, take data, analyse the data within the context of the physical phenomena that are being studied, maintain a laboratory log-book, and report on their findings in clearly written laboratory reports.

Schedule of topics

· Review of Maxwell’s Equations of electro and magneto statics in vacuum

· Electrodynamics in vacuum

· Dipole radiation, plane wave solutions

· Properties of electromagnetic waves in homogenous regions and at interfaces between different materials

· Gaussian beams

· Descriptions of polarisation states and control

· Interference

· Fabry-Perot interferometer

· Fourier theory

· Fourier optics

· Fraunhofer (far-field) diffraction

· Fresnel (near-field) diffraction

The unit content has changed this session: relativity is removed from the second half, and replaced with optics.