Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Rich Mildren rich.mildren@mq.edu.au David Spence david.spence@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 10
Prerequisites	Prerequisites (PHYS201 or PHYS2010) and (PHYS202 or PHYS2020) and (MATH235 or MATH2010 or MATH2055) and (MATH236 or MATH232 or MATH2020 or MATH2110)
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This course continues our development of the classical theory of electromagnetism, the first example of a unified theory in physics and the origin of the concept of fields. We apply Maxwell’s equations to derive a full dynamical description of electromagnetism in free space with an emphasis on the generation and propagation of electromagnetic waves. We use the concepts of interference and diffraction to determine how light propagates through and interacts with optical systems. Interference underpins practical devices such as the Fabry-Perot interferometer or multilayer dielectric filters while diffraction is critical for analysing beam propagation and image formation. Modern optical techniques are studied in the regular laboratory program that also reinforces the use of advanced data analysis and report writing techniques and thus provides a strong foundation for future research project work.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

ULO1: derive and apply mathematical formalisms to explain fundamental concepts and phenomena in electromagnetism.
ULO2: explain how the underlying theory of electromagnetism is linked to everyday phenomena, as well as scientific and engineering applications.
ULO3: apply theoretical concepts underpinning central topics in optics to experimental scenarios.
ULO4: carry out multi-part experimental investigations of physical phenomena using complex control and measurement equipment, recording your results accurately in a lab book.
ULO5: compare experimental and theoretical results, and compile your findings in professional reports.

General Assessment Information

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.

Late submission will be permitted in line with the FSE policy below.

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.

Late submission will be permitted in line with the FSE policy below.

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, each taking two weeks.

You will two full reports according to the lab timetable provided on iLearn. The first report is worth 7% of the unit total, and the second worth 13%.

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, the 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.

Late submission will be permitted in line with the FSE policy below.

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.

General Faculty Policy on assessment submission deadlines and late submissions:

Online quizzes, in-class activities, scheduled tests and exams must be undertaken at the time indicated in the unit guide. All other assessments must be submitted by 11:55 pm on their due date.

Should these assessments be missed due to illness or misadventure, students should apply for Special Consideration.

Assessments not submitted by the due date will receive a mark of zero unless late submissions are specifically allowed as indicated in the unit guide or on iLearn.

If late submissions are permitted as indicated in the unit guide or on iLearn a consistent penalty will be applied for late submissions as follows:

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of 0 will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. For example, an assessment worth 20 marks is due 11:55 pm on 1 January. Student A submits the assessment at 1 pm, 3 January. The assessment received a mark of 15/20. A 10% deduction is then applied to the mark of 15, resulting in the loss of 1.5 marks. Student A is then awarded a final mark of 13.5/20.

A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Lab record	10%	Yes	As per lab schedule
Final examination	40%	Yes	In usual exam period
Lab reports	20%	Yes	As per lab schedule
Pre-class reading	10%	Yes	Weekly
Assignments	20%	No	Weeks 5,8,11,13

Lab record

Assessment Type ¹: Lab book
Indicative Time on Task ²: 0 hours
Due: As per lab schedule
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Assessment of your in-lab record for two experimental investigations.