PHY102 Electricity and Waves (8)

This calculus-based subject gives students a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of static and dynamic electricity, electromagnetism, wave motion and geometric and physical optics.

Availability

* Offering has a residential school. Please view following information for further details.

Session 2 (60)
Online *
Wagga Wagga Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: PHY102. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • have a basic understanding of the manner in which charged bodies behave in an electric field;
  • understand the nature of the direct electric current and how it is affected by various circuit components;
  • understand the concept of capacitance and the manner in which it is utilised for the storage of energy;
  • understand the physical phenomena of wave motion;
  • understand the concepts of geometrical optics and apply them to simple optical instruments;
  • be able to conduct experiments which demonstrate some of the concepts developed during the study;
  • be able to present experimental results in an acceptable manner, indicating the likely sources and magnitudes of any errors involved.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:
  • Charge, Coulombs law, lines of force, electric field, E, flux, Gauss law, electric potential;
    Potential energy;
  • Capacitors and capacitance, energy storage in electric field, parallel plate capacitor, dielectrics;
  • Electromotive force, resistance, resistivity, Ohms law, multiloop circuits, Kirchoffs laws, RC circuits;
  • Magnetic force on electric current, torque on current loop, Hall effect, Amperes laws, lines of magnetic field B, long solenoid, Biot-Savart law;
  • Faradays law of Induction, Lenzs law;
  • Mechanical waves, sound waves, wave equation, energy transmission, Doppler effect, resonance;
  • Huygens principle, laws of reflection and refraction, total internal reflection, spherical mirrors, thin lenses, simple optical instruments;
  • Polarising sheets, polarising by reflection, polarisation by scattering double refraction, Law of Malus;
  • Youngs experiment, phase change on reflection, Michelson interferometer, interference in thin films, single and double slit
  • Fraunhofer diffraction, diffraction grating, crystal diffraction.

Indicative Assessment

The following table summarises the assessment tasks for the online offering of PHY102 in Session 2 2021. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated and can also differ to suit the mode of study (online or on campus).

Item Number
Title
Value %
1
Problem set 1 - electromagnetism
15
2
Laboratory reports
20
3
Problem set 2 - waves & optics
15
4
Online examination
50

Residential School

This subject contains a 4 day Compulsory Residential School.

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: June 2022. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

Back