Spring 2026 PY406 - Electromagnetic Fields and Waves II
Syllabus
The syllabus is tentative and subject to changes and updates at any time. The relevant chapters in Griffiths is indicated by a ‘G’.
| Week | Date | Topic | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | W Jan 21 | Recap of PY405, Index Notation | G1–7 |
| F Jan 23 | Recap of PY405, Index Notation | G1–7 | |
| 2 | M Jan 26 | Conservation Laws (Link to Zoom Lecture) | G8 |
| W Jan 28 | Conservation of Energy; Tensors | G8 | |
| F Jan 30 | Tensors; Conservation of Momentum | G8 | |
| 3 | M Feb 2 | Conservation of Angular Momentum, Wave Equation | G9.1 |
| W Feb 4 | EM Waves in Vacuum | G9.1 | |
| F Feb 6 | Complex Representation of Waves, Monochromatic Plane Waves | G9.1 | |
| 4 | M Feb 9 | Monochromatic Plane Waves | G9.2 |
| W Feb 11 | EM Waves in Linear Media, Normal Reflection and Transmission | G9.3 | |
| F Feb 13 | Normal Reflection and Transmission | G9.3 | |
| 5 | M Feb 16 | – | Presidents’ Day, Class Suspended |
| Tu Feb 17 | Review | Monday Schedule | |
| W Feb 18 | Midterm 1 | ||
| F Feb 20 | Oblique Reflection and Transmission | G9.3 | |
| 6 | M Feb 23 | EM Waves in Conductors (Link to Handwritten Notes) | G9.4 |
| W Feb 25 | EM Waves in Conductors | G9.4 | |
| F Feb 27 | EM Waves in Conductors | G9.4 | |
| 7 | M Mar 2 | Waveguides | G9.5 |
| W Mar 4 | Waveguides | G9.5 | |
| F Mar 6 | Dispersion in Dielectrics | G9.5 | |
| 8 | M Mar 9 | – | Spring Recess |
| W Mar 11 | – | Spring Recess | |
| F Mar 13 | – | Spring Recess | |
| 9 | M Mar 16 | Natural Units; Potentials and Gauges | G10.1 |
| W Mar 18 | Potentials and Gauges | G10.1 | |
| F Mar 20 | Retarded Potentials | G10.2 | |
| 10 | M Mar 23 | Review | |
| W Mar 25 | Midterm 2 | ||
| F Mar 27 | Retarded Potentials | G10.2 | |
| 11 | M Mar 30 | Jefimenko’s Equations | G10.2 |
| W Apr 1 | Jefimenko’s Equations, Dipole Radiation | G11.1 | |
| F Apr 3 | Dipole Radiation | G11.1 | |
| 12 | M Apr 6 | Multipole Expansion of Radiation | G11.1 |
| W Apr 8 | Special Relativity: Framework | G12 | |
| F Apr 10 | Special Relativity: Time Dilation, Length Contraction | G12 | |
| 13 | M Apr 13 | Special Relativity: Simultaneity | G12 |
| W Apr 15 | Special Relativity: Velocities | G12 | |
| F Apr 17 | Special Relativity: Dynamics | G12 | |
| 14 | M Apr 20 | – | Patriots’ Day, Class Suspended |
| W Apr 22 | Special Relativity: Dynamics | Monday Schedule, G12 | |
| F Apr 24 | Special Relativity: E&M | G12 | |
| 15 | M Apr 27 | Special Relativity: E&M | G12 |
| W Apr 29 | Review |