Course Name
Paradigms in Physics: Static Fields
Course Number
PH 422 / PH 522
Year/Term
2025
Display other available years here.
Course Credits
4
Class meeting times
7 hours of lecture/discussion per week for five weeks.
Prerequisites
PH 422: PH 213, PH 335 (may be taken in the same term), MTH 255 (may be taken concurrently) PH 522: None
Course description
Theory of static electric, magnetic, and gravitational potentials and fields using the techniques of vector calculus in three dimensions.

Topic/Day

Activities

Resources

Homework Due

W1 D1: Math Bits
Introduction to the Static Fields (Math Bits)
Non-uniform Densities
Review Algebra/Calculus Basics
Do this on you own.
See HW 1 Practice.
Unit: (Math Bits) Integration and Differentiation in Curvilinear Coordinates
Unit: Potentials Due to Discrete Charges
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
W2 D1
Introduction to Static Fields (Physics)
Review Distance Formula
Visualizing Potentials I
W2 D2
Veterans Day (No Class)
Unit: Fields from Continuous Sources
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
W2 D5
Limiting Cases (V Ring)
Unit: Electric Fields
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
W3 D1
Constants, Variables, and Parameters
Electric Field for Two Point Charges
Electric Field Lines
W3 D2
Electric Field Due to a Point Charge as a Gradient
GSF: Electric Field
GEM 2.1.1-2.1.2
Unit: Gauss's Law (Integral)
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
W3 D3
Products of Vectors: Cross Product
Triple Product
GMM: Cross Product
GEM 1.1.1-1.1.3
Vector Surface Elements
Read After Class:
GSF: Vector Surface Elements
GEM 1.3.1
Flux Definition
Read After Class:
GSF: Flux
GSF: Flux of the Electric Field
GEM 1.3.1, 2.2.1
Unit: Maxwell's Equations in Differential Form
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
W4 D2
More Gauss's Law
Derivatives of Vector Fields
W4 D3
Definition of Divergence
Read After Class:
GSF: The Definition of Divergence
GEM 1.2.4
Divergence Theorem
GSF: The Divergence Theorem
GEM 1.3.4
Taylor 13.7
W4 D4
Thanksgiving (No Class)
W4 D5
Thanksgiving Break (No Class)
Unit: Magnetic Fields
Introduction to the Unit
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
W5 D1
Differential Form of Gauss's Law
Current Density
Read After Class:
GSF: Current
GEM 5.1.3, 5.2.2
W5 D4
Stokes' Theorem
Differential Form of Ampère's Law
Introduction to the Lorentz Force Law
GSF: The Lorentz Force Law
GEM 5.1, 5.3.4
Taylor 2.5
Relationship of Fields
Curl-Free Vector Fields
Read After Class:
GSF: Curl-Free Vector Fields
GEM 1.6.2
Taylor 4.4
Electrostatic Energy Due to Discrete Charges
Read After Class:
GSF: Electrostatic Energy from Discrete Charges
GEM 2.4.1-2.4.2
Electrostatic Energy from a Continuous Charge Distributions
Read After Class:
GSF: Electrostatic Energy from Continuous Sources
GEM 2.4.3-2.4.4
12/10, noon
335 Prereqs: Power Series
Definition of Power Series
Derive Power Series Coefficients
Calculating Coefficients of Power Series
Guessing Power Series
Power Series Approximations (Sine Example)
335 Prereqs: Coordinates and Vectors
Review on your own(as needed):Basic Calculus, Exponentials & Logarithms, Vectors
Representations of Vectors
Dot Product
Read After Class:
GSF: The Dot Product
GEM 1.1.1
Position Vector
Read After Class:
GSF: The Position Vector
GEM 1.1.4
Calculating the Distance Between Two Points
Read After Class:
GSF: The Distance Formula
GEM 1.1.2, 1.1.4