S8 Covariant Electromagnetism
NOTE FOR 2010: This is the LAST TIME that S8 will run: next year much of the material will be covered in one of the B-papers.This short option is available to second and third years; second years are advised to consult their tutors, as the course makes non-trivial use of electromagnetism, quantum mechanics and special relativity, and the course is given Hilary Term. But of course second years are welcome to come to the lectures whether they take the option or not. It is NOT available to third years taking B4, because of the overlap of content between the courses.
The course covers the covariance of Maxwell's equations (in their fundamental
form, involving only E and B fields) under rotation, reflection, duality
transformation, gauge transformation and Lorentz transformation, finishing
with a discussion of gauge transformation in non-relativistic quantum
mechanics. The emphasis is on ideas and equations rather than on solving
problems, and the actual systems studied are of the simplest possible kind to
illustrate the ideas.
Lecture Notes (2010)
Some old Theory Option questions from the 1990's which cover some of the same material are available here. Past Papers: (viewing from Oxford only)
2004 paper, and
Examiner's Report |
C W P Palmer, University of Oxford.
This page created 22 August 2008