| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Ray Eaton
Tayyaba Zafar
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
PHYS1510
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit, following on from PHYS1510 completes the overview of electric and magnetic physics required for further study in electrical and electronic engineering disciplines. We complete the theory of electromagnetism, studying fields, potentials, the origin and effects of magnetic fields and electromagnetic induction, all described by Maxwell's equations. We link this physics to the fundamental quantities used in circuit theory: emf, voltage, current, resistance, capacitance, and inductance. We develop the language and toolkit used to design and analyse simple circuits, including the circuit theorems and circuit analysis techniques, and provide an introduction to electromagnetic radiation (light). Laboratory sessions provide a practical context for students to consolidate key concepts via conducting experiments and carrying out open ended exploration of basic circuits. Learning in this unit enhances student understanding of global challenges identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Quality Education; Affordable and Clean Energy; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure |
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Requirements to Pass this Unit To pass this unit you need to achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50% across all assessments.The three assessments for the unit are as follows:
LABORATORY WORK (30%, estimated time on task = 10 hours outside of scheduled classes)
Laboratory work entails hands-on practical activities that are undertaken during scheduled laboratory classes. There is a online induction module and safety quiz that needs to be completed in Week 1. It contains important work health and safety information. Students will also need to enrol in groups on iLearn so as to know which experiment to prepare for and complete in week 2. Lab books will be handed out in week 2. It is mandatory to complete the online module – you cannot do subsequent lab sessions until you do. The next nine lab sessions involve experimental work and will be assessed. Preparation is required for each of these lab sessions and you will find the Prelab activities in the Laboratory Resources section of iLearn. All laboratory work will be documented in the lab book provided to you. The teaching staff will assist you throughout each lab session, providing feedback, allocating “points” for pre-lab work, for demonstrating particular skills during class, and for the documentation in your lab book. The points will be recorded in your lab book after each class so that you can track your progress. You can earn up to 20 “points” for your work each lab session, and your final mark for the Laboratory work will be determined from these points. To achieve full marks you would need to attend all lab sessions and achieve 20 points in all nine practical lab sessions. Your laboratory work accounts for 30% of your final mark for the unit. A limited number of catch-up labs will be offered for students who miss a lab session; it is NOT necessary to apply for Special Consideration if you miss a lab class. The catch up classes will be held during the mid-session break, and towards the end of semester. A student can request no more than three catch up labs, via an online form on iLearn. Further details will be made available in the Lab Resources section of iLearn and during the first Lab session.
VIVA/ORAL EXAMINATION: (30%, estimated time on task = 15 hours)
This assessment task relates to your understanding of Electric Circuit Analysis. It will involve students demonstrating their knowledge and the application of their knowledge in fundamental circuit analysis and will address the various themes and techniques covered in the electric circuits part of the unit. The assessment will be via an oral demonstration or explanation addressing fundamentals of circuit analysis and application of studied tools and echniques. Each student will be expected to spend a total of approximately 30-40 minutes total with their oral explanation. Practice for this will oral assessment will be provided via the SGTA sessions, and indicative example oral questions will be provided so that you will see the style of questions being asked in the assessment. The oral assessment will be completed in week 11. Some opportunity may be provided in earlier weeks to complete part of the oral assessment. Further details on the logistics of the oral assessment will be available within iLearn.
FINAL WRITTEN EXAMINATION: (40%, estimated time on task = 15 hours)
This assessment task relates to your understanding of Electromagnetism and Modern Physics. It will be a closed-book, on-campus exam of duration 2 hours.
If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled after results are released. Please see FSE101 in iLearn for dates. 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. Attendance and Participation We strongly encourage all students to actively participate in all learning activities. Regular engagement is crucial for your success in this unit, as these activities provide opportunities to deepen your understanding of the material, collaborate with peers, and receive valuable feedback from instructors, to assist in completing the unit assessments. Your active participation not only enhances your own learning experience but also contributes to a vibrant and dynamic learning environment for everyone.
Late Assessment Submission Late assessments are not accepted in this unit unless a Special Consideration has been submitted and approved.
Special Consideration The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through https://connect.mq.edu.au
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due | Groupwork/Individual | Short Extension | AI assisted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lab book | 30% | No | At the end of last lab class | Individual | No | Observed |
| Written examination | 40% | No | During formal examination period | Individual | No | Observed |
| Oral Examination | 30% | No | Week 11 | Individual | No | Observed |
Assessment Type 1: Experiential task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: At the end of last lab class
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Observed
Assessment of in-lab record of experimental activities, as well as any pre-lab work.
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: During formal examination period
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Observed
Written Examination in the university exam period, covering the content from the "Electromagnetism and Modern Physics" part of the unit.
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Observed
Students present/discuss their approach to solving a selection of Circuit Analysis problems.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.
3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.
Week 1 classes: Lectures and SGTAs commence in Week 1. There are online tasks in Week 1 for the Lab Program, and on-campus labs commence in Week 2. Please see the details in iLearn.
Methods of Communication: We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn.
General Information Important instructions and study materials are hosted on the iLearn webpage for the unit as are all announcements. You will find it at http://ilearn.mq.edu.au. Please refer to it frequently!
Asking for help A number of people can assist students while they undertake PHYS1520. For any inquiry please use this e-mail address: PHYS1520@mq.edu.au instead of using people's personal e-mails. This will ensure that the best answer to your question is obtained.
Unit textbook. The textbook for most of this unit is "Fundamentals of Physics" by Halliday, Resnick and Walker,11th edition. It is recommended that you arrange access (digital or physical) to this textbook (10th edition is sufficient) as we will be following it closely and you will find it an invaluable resource. This is the same textbook that you used for PHYS1510. The Library has an unlimited license to Fundamentals Of Physics Extended 10th Edition. Access the book online from the library by using multisearch, or look for the link on iLearn. The second textbook that you will find useful for the portion of this unit that delves into Electric Circuits is Introduction to Electric Circuits by Dorf and Svoboda The text book will also be a useful resource for further Engineering study in Electronics, Electrical, and Mechatronics Engineering. The Library also has a license to this book.
Technology: Audio recordings and copies of slides from lectures will be available on iLearn. These are intended as backups, and are definitely not a substitute for attending lectures in person. The use of calculators in the laboratory classes, SGTAs, assignments and in the final examination for this unit is usually necessary. In accordance with the Science & Engineering Faculty's policy, calculators with a full alphabet on the keyboard are not allowed in the final examination. Personal electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops may be used for self-assessment quizzes and other learning enhancement classroom activities.
Lectures, SGTAs, and Lab classes This unit consists of three different formal types of activity, all of which are scheduled for oncampus delivery. There are no online classes. If there are any changes to the delivery, you will be notified via iLearn announcements.
1) LECTURES: In lectures, new material is presented, discussed and illustrated by examples and demonstrations. Lectures are an important part of studying physics, where the lecturers seek to explain the concepts from several points of view, point out and explain the most important aspects of the material and, very importantly, illustrate the relationships and connections between the different concepts that are studied in PHYS1520 – no subject in physics stands on its own. Problem solving is modelled via worked examples and these scaffold the more complex problems considered in the SGTA.
2) SGTA classes: These classes are where you will consolidate and apply the concepts and methods taught in lectures, to solving problems. There will be a mix of activities such as demonstrations, informal quizzes and presentations, solving set problems, and past exam questions. SGTAs form an important learning component of PHYS1520.
3) LABORATORY SESSIONS: The laboratory component is an essential component of your studies and so counts for an appreciable fraction of your final assessment. You will be introduced to some of the basic skillsand techniques required of practicing physicists, scientists and engineers. You will be issued with a Laboratory Notebook, provided with instructional material in the form of Laboratory Notes which can be found in the Laboratory Resources section of iLearn, and assisted in the laboratory by a team of demonstrators. For each laboratory session you are required to complete some preparatory work (Pre-Lab) before attending your nominated Lab session. To figure out which Prelab to do, please consult the Laboratory Schedule on iLearn.
Location: There are two laboratories used for 1st year physics they are both in 14 SCO Room 114 (Ground floor at the North-East corner of building) and Room 254 (First floor, north-facing side of the atrium) Please check iLearn to see where your lab class will take place.
Laboratory Safety: You are required to follow all safety guidelines given in the first Lab session, your lab notes, and the lab staff. Food and drink cannot be consumed in the lab, and students without suitable covered footwear will be refused admission
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
PHYS1520 is run with two themes - electromagnetism and modern physics, and electrical circuit analysis. In previous offerings, the electromagnetism theme was delivered in whole first, with the electricla circuits covered in the last part of the schedule. To aid in better synchorinsation and scheduling of assessments, the electric circuits part will be undertaked in the middle, commencing after week 3, with the electromagnetism part starting in week 1 and resuming in week 9. This will hopefully provide a better logical flow of ideas and aid in assessment load for students.
| EA Competency Standard | Unit Learning Outcomes | |
| Knowledge and Skill Base | 1.1 Comprehensive, theory-based understanding of the underpinning fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline. | ULO1, ULO2 |
| 1.2 Conceptual understanding of underpinning maths, analysis, statistics, computing. | ULO1, ULO2 | |
| 1.3 In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge | ||
| 1.4 Discernment of knowledge development and research directions | ||
| 1.5 Knowledge of engineering design practice | ||
| 1.6 Understanding of scope, principles, norms, accountabilities of sustainable engineering practice. | ||
| Engineering Application Ability | 2.1 Application of established engineering methods to complex problem solving | |
| 2.2 Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources. | ULO3, ULO4 | |
| 2.3 Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes. | ||
| 2.4 Application of systematic approaches to the conduct and management of engineering projects. | ||
| Professional and Personal Attributes | 3.1 Ethical conduct and professional accountability. | |
| 3.2 Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains. | ULO3, ULO5 | |
| 3.3 Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour. | ||
| 3.4 Professional use and management of information. | ||
| 3.5 Orderly management of self, and professional conduct. | ULO6 | |
| 3.6 Effective team membership and team leadership | ||
Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook