Module: Electricity & Magnetism

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Electricity & Magnetism
Module Code	PHY1019 (ITS: PS104)
Faculty	Physical Sciences	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

The module gives students a broad, rigorous introduction to electricity and magnetism treated as distinct phenomena in the statics approximation.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the basic electric and magnetic interactions due to charged particles and currents
2. Describe electric and magnetic interactions between point charges in terms of force, field, and potential
3. Predict the motion of charged particles in electric and magnetic fields
4. Explain the basic physics of capacitors, inductors, and resistors
5. Predict the behaviour of direct current circuits with capacitors and resistors using macroscopic and microscopic descriptions
6. Communicate occurrences of electricity and magnetism in technology or biology

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	36	Class based instruction, a mix of lecture and small-group tutorials as required
Assignment Completion	20	Research on chosen topic
Independent Study	69	Homework, exam preparation
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20886	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Paul Van Kampen	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Group assignment	Students discuss their research on a topic they are interested in that is related to electricity and magnetism in an interactive oral.	15%	Sem 2 End
Assignment	Homework assignments	15%	Every Week
In Class Test	In-term exam in the same style as the end-of-term exam	10%	Week 4
Formal Examination	End-of-Semester Final Examination	60%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Learning Activities
The online platform provided by Pearson is used to have students prepare for each topic/textbook chapter by answering pre-lecture questions.

All lectures combine some dissemination of knowledge, small-group discussions on conceptual and selected symbolic and numerical problems, and anonymous polling.

At the end of each chapter, students are assigned a Dynamic Study Assignment and about 90 minutes of homework problems and exercises.

Electric charge and Electric field
Electric charge, Structure of matter, conservation of charge, conductors, insulators, induced charge. Coulomb's law, electric field and forces. Electric field calculations. Field lines. Electric dipoles. Introduction to Gauss' Law.

Electric Potential
Electric potential energy: Electric potential energy in uniform fields and point charges. Electric Potential: Calculation of potential, potential as an integral of E. Equipotentials and field lines.

Capacitance, Capacitors and dielectrics
Capacitance in vacuum, capacitors in series and parallel, capacitors network. Link with electric field and electric potential. Energy storage in capacitors. Dielectrics: Induced charge and polarisation

Direct Current Circuits
Current, current flow and drift velocity. Ideal and non-ideal batteries. Surface charges and equipotential lines in dc circuits. Resistivity: Resistance, temperature dependence, I-V plot. Electromotive force of a battery and electric circuits. Energy and power in electric circuits. Resistors in series and parallel. Kirchhoff's rules and analysis of complex circuits. Measuring instruments. RC circuits.

Magnetic Field and Magnetic Forces
Magnetism and magnetic field, magnetic forces on moving charges, magnetic field lines. Motion of charged particles in magnetic field: mass spectrometers. Magnetic force on current carrying conductor, force and torque on a current loop. Mutual and self inductance.

Sources of Magnetic field
Lorentz force. Magnetic force and field. Magnetic field of a moving charge, current element, Biot and Savart law. Magnetic force on a moving charge and a current-carrying loop. Magnetic moment. Current-carrying wire as a source of magnetic field.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Young and Freedman: 0, University Physics, 15th Edition, Chapters 21,23,24,25,26,27, parts of 28, Pearson,
Jewett/Serway: 2008, Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 7th Edition, chapters 23 - 30, Thomson Brooks COle,
Griffith: 2007, The Physics of Everyday Phenomena - A conceptual introduction to Physics, 5th Edition, Unit Three Electricity and Magnetism, McGraw-Hill,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None