Electromagnetism and electromagnetic waves

This dipole magnetic field, a diagram from your textbook, with field lines indicated by teeny iron filings, is a central object in learning about the concepts of electromagnetic radiation.

1. A bar magnet has an S pole and an N pole, and the field lines sprout from the N. This field line configuration is known as "the dipole field."
2. A pair of opposite charges, like a proton and an electron, would form identical electric field lines if the proton was above and electron below.
3. Electromagnetic radiation is, in itself, a union of electric and magnetic fields, coupled together and propagating across spacetime at the speed of light, c = 3×10⁸ m/sec.
4. This is not accidental. Michael Faraday found in the 1830s that electric and magnetic fields were unified, one physical phenomenon. And that is why we call it the electromagnetic field.

Your next learning module, for the week of Nov. 22, is now up. It is about electromagnetism.

Week 5a learning module is going.

We now launch into the last three chapters of the semester, starting with Ch. 22, about electromagnetic radiation. We leverage that big concept to learn about the quantum world.

Learning module 5a is available, and it will have some chapter 23 and 24 concept guides by Saturday.

GO! GO!! GO!

Last major learning module is now UP.

Your week 15 learning module is now UP in Webcourses. It is the last major learning module for the semester. Post your questions about it in the Discussions area.

Next week, I think I will put together a mini-review quiz to get you back into the flow of all the topics from Exams 1, 2 and 3. Remember: the final exam covers EVERYTHING this semester!!!!!

Chapters 20 and 21 concept guides are UP.

You can now use the concept guides for chapters 20 and 21 in Webcourses. These cover several concepts about electromagnetism, leading up to our last module next week: Chapter 22.

ALSO: You can try the chapter 21 mini-quiz now, too, as you study.

Chapter 22 mini-quiz is now UP

Your electromagnetism mini-quiz, for chapter 22 is now up. It has 21 questions and some study tips as you read through the chapter, so read carefully.

As usual, this mini-quiz closes on Wednesday evening, being as how we have a midterm exam on Thursday.

Michael Faraday Learning Module is ready to go.

I just set up our second main learning module, the Michael Faraday Learning Module, which covers topics from electromagnetism and molecules. You will find the icon in the upper left of the course content home page. There are two mini-quizzes ready today and, of course, the concept guides.

I have included a special new mini-concept guide on waves, covering a slice of chapter 15.

This learning module has the advantage that you can move around in it almost at random, instead of the strict sequence of the Sir Isaac Newton Learning Module. So you can study for a few days in chapter 20 on the electric field, then skip over to chapter 12 to look over the states of matter - solid, liquid and gas - and then back to chapter 20.

There will be some new visual podcasts, so keep an eye on the Uvision site.

Try to work through the mini-concept guide on waves before launching into chapter 22.

You are now GO for launch!

First week to-do list

You can now click in to the PSC1121-0W62 area of Webcourses. Your objectives until Sunday evening are the following:

1. Work on the "First Week To-Do List" which is a small learning module, linked on the home page.
2. Get your textbooks.
3. STUDY AHEAD: Skim and eyeball the diagrams and figures in
   1. chapter 5 (gravitation),
   2. chapter 15 (waves), and
   3. chapter 20 (electromagnetism).