Physics I, Calculus I and II, Linear Algebra

This course should make the student familiar with the basics concepts of electromagnetism and wave optics. The goal of this course is that the student develop abilities in understanding abstract physical concepts through the combination of lectures, experiments and problem solving with the aid of mathematical tools. In order to achieve this goal, the following competences and skills have to be acquired to: - Use the scientific method. - Employ the scientific language. - Understand and use the mathematics involved in the physical models. - Solve problems. - Use scientific instruments and analyze experimental data. - Find, compare and analyze information from different sources. - Work in a team.

1. Presentation of the Course, Electric Charges and Electric Forces - Electric Charge. - Coulomb´s Law. - Dimensions and Units. - The Superposition Principle. 2 - The Electric Field. - Definition of Electric Fields. - Electric Field Created by a Point Charge. - The Superposition Principle. - The Electric Field Lines. - Electric Fields of general Charge Distributions. 3 - The Electric Flux and Gauss' Law. - Flux of a vector Field. - The Electric Flux. - Gauss' Law. - Use of Gauss' Law to calculate the Electric Field. 4. Electrostatic Potential Energy. - Gravitational Potential Energy. - Electrostatic Potential Energy. - Energy Conservation. - Electrostatic Potential. - Electric Potential Difference. - Equipotential surfaces and lines 5. Electrostatic Potential (cont.) - Electrostatic Potential of General Charge Distributions. - Potential of a System of Charges. - Relation between Electrostatic Potential en Electric Field. - Electrostatic Energy of a System of Charges. - Electric Conductors in Equilibrium. - Conductors in Electrostatic Equilibrium. - Matter Aggregations. 6. Capacitance and dielectrics. - Capacitance. - Parallel Plane, Cylindrical and spherical Capacitors. - Capacitors in circuits. - Dielectrics. Electric Properties of Matter. - Breakdown Electric field - Energy stored in Capacitors. - Energy Density of the Electrical Field. 7. Current and Resistance. - Current density and current intensity. - Ohm's law. - Resistance and conductivity. - Joule's Law. - Energy and Power in Electric Circuits. - Electromotive Force. - Kirchoff's Rules. 8. Magnetic Fields. - Magnetic Field. - Magnetic Field Lines. - Magnetic Flux. - Lorentz's Force on a Charged Particle. - Magnetic Force on a Current-Carrying Wire. - Torque on a Current-Carrying Loop. - Magnetic Moment. 9. Sources of Magnetic Fields. - Sources of the Magnetic Field. - Biot-Savart's Law. - Forces Between Current-Carrying Conductors. - Ampère´s Law. - Application of Ampère's Law to Calculate Magnetic Fields. - Magnetic Properties of Matter. 10. Electromagnetic Induction. - Faraday´s Law of Induction. - Motional Electromotive Force. - Lenz´s Law. - Electromagnetic Induction. - Self-Inductance ad Mutual Induction. - Energy and Energy Density of a Magnetic Field. 11. Electromagnetic Waves. - Displacement Current. - Maxwell´s Equations. - Wave Solutions to Maxwell´s Equations. - The Speed of Light. - The Electromagnetic spectrum. - Traveling waves. - Poynting Vector. 12. Properties of Light. - Propagation of Light. - Reflexion, Refraction and Absorption. - Interference. Double Slit Experiment. - Diffraction. Double Slit Interference. - Circular Aperture. Diffraction Limits.

- LECTURES: Weekly sessions of 100 minutes, divided in two 50 minutes parts with a break, where the theoretical concepts are explained. A few days in advance files will be provided in the subject webpage with the following information: - Main topics to be discussed during the session. - The presentation that will be used during the session. - Notes with recommended material were students can supplement the concepts discussed during the lecture. - RECITATIONS: Weekly sessions of 100 minutes, also divided in two 50 minutes parts with a break, in groups of 40 students where problems and activities proposed after the LECTURES are solved and discussed. This session is focused in helping students to: - Understand the statements of the problems. - Identify the physical phenomenon involved in the statements and the physical laws describing them. - Develop strategies to solve the problems. - Learn to make a precise use of mathematics. - Analyze critically the results obtained. - LABORATORY: Four 100 minutes sessions dedicated to perform and analyze experiments about the physical phenomena studied during the LECTURES and the RECITATIONS. The goal of these sessions is to help students learn to: - Operate scientific instruments precisely and carefully. - Acquire scientific experimental data. - Manage and analyze scientific data. - Discuss critically experimental results. - Report the main results of the experiments. Additionally, every week there will be one hour tutoring session available to students in the subject webpage.