Cornell University

Department of Physics

Phys 214 October 8, 2003

Waves, Optics, and Particles, Fall 2003

Homework Assignment # 6

(Due Thursday, October 16 at 5:00pm sharp.)

Agenda and readings for the weeks of September 29, October 6:

Skills to be mastered:

• understanding and being able to show that $\vec{E} \perp \vec{B}$ for electric and magnetic fields in the absence of sources (i.e., free charges or currents);

• given the direction of propagation of a an EM wave, being able to obtain the function $\vec{B}\left(\vec{r},t\right)$ from $\vec{E}\left(\vec{r},t\right)$, and vice versa;

• being able to determine the allowed modes for EM standing waves for different types of boundary conditions and to locate the nodal planes of $\vec{E}$ and $\vec{B}$;

• given the polarization of $\vec{E}\left(\vec{r},t\right)$, being able to find the polarization of $\vec{B}\left(\vec{r},t\right)$, and vice versa;

• be able to identify traveling wave solutions $f(x - ct)$ and $g(x + ct)$ and pick out the velocity;

• be able to use the general solution $f(x - ct) + g(x + ct)$ to the wave equation to find particular solutions given the initial conditions (i.e., the string shape and velocity distribution at $t=0$);

• understanding superposition of both displacements and velocities for combinations of left and right pulses.

Lectures and Readings:

Readings marked YF are from the text Young and Freedman, University Physics, 10th edition. Readings marked LN are from the course lecture notes to be found at http://www.muchomas.lassp.cornell.edu/P214.

• Lec 12, 10/07 (Tue): Superposition, Chunk velocities, E&M Pol Rule III.
  Readings: LN ``Wave Phenomena I,'' Sec. 4.

• Lec 13, 10/09 (Thu): Reflection at fixed and free boundaries.
  Readings: LN ``Wave Phenomena I,'' Sec. 5; YF 20-1, 20-2, 20-3.

• 10/14 (Tue): Fall break!!!

• Lec 14, 10/16 (Thu): Complex representation of reflection/transmission, two-slit interference.
  Readings: ``Wave Phenomena II: Interference,'' Secs. 1-3.2; YF 37-1, 37-2, 37-3, 37-4.

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