PHYS206-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Electromagnetism and Materials

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

The treatment of electromagnetic forces and potentials in vector form. Development of the fundamental laws of electromagnetism through to the Maxwell equations in integral form. Practical application of electromagnetic theory to various physical situations. Introduction to modern materials starting with their different classifications, their physical structure and their basic electronic properties. Later sections will include discussion of nanomaterials and semiconductors. Frequent reference will be made to the technological relevance of the material as well as the basic physics at its foundation.

Introduction to modern materials starting with their different classifications, their physical structure and their basic electronic properties.  Later sections will include discussion of nanomaterials and semiconductors.  Frequent reference will be made to the technological relevance of the material as well as the basic physics at its foundation.

Learning Outcomes

  • As a student in this course, I will develop the ability to:
  • Understand and describe the basic concepts of electric forces, fields and potentials (exam assessment).
  • Calculate forces, fields and potentials caused by electric charges (assignment and exam assessment).
  • Understand and describe the concepts of magnetic fields induced by currents and the effects of magnetic fields on charges, as well as the energy associated with fields (exam assessment).
  • Mathematically formulate and solve various applications in electromagnetism (assignment and exam assessment).
  • Understand and describe the basic classification of modern materials (assignment and exam assessment)
  • Understand and describe the physical properties that classify a material as metallic, insulating or semiconducting. (assignment and exam assessment)
  • Understand and describe the basics of semiconducting doping and how it leads to applications in electronics (assignment and exam assessment)
  • Understand and describe the effects of physical confinement that lead to new features in nanotechnology (assignment and exam assessment).
  • Mathematically formulate and solve various applications in materials science (assignment and exam assessment).

    In addition I will have developed and demonstrated the following transferrable skills:
  • Writing and communication skills (assignment assessment).
  • Ability to apply computational skills in MATLAB or other languages to the solution of real-world problems in electromagnetism and materials science (assignment assessment).

Prerequisites

(1) PHYS102 or (PHYS101 + CHEM211); (2) MATH103 or EMTH119 or MATH199. These prerequisites may be replaced by a high level of achievement in level 3 NCEA Physics and Mathematics with Calculus or other background approved by the Head of Department. RP: MATH201.

Restrictions

PHYS202, PHYS314

Recommended Preparation

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 13:00 - 14:00 F1 Lectorial
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 12:00 - 13:00 F1 Lectorial
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 12:00 - 13:00 A5 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 10:00 - 11:00 Rata 222 & 223 Drawing Office
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Jon-Paul Wells

Lecturer

Konstantin Pavlov

Notes

Workload 150 hours made up of 36 hours lectures, 12 hours tutorials, 102 hours assignments and self study.

Additional Course Outline Information

Academic integrity

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,036.00

International fee $5,188.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 20 people apply to enrol.

For further information see School of Physical & Chemical Sciences .

All PHYS206 Occurrences

  • PHYS206-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025