Meeting Times
Lectures: 2 sessions / week for 1.5 hrs
Recitations: 1 session / week for 1 hr
Tutorials: 1 session / week for 2 hrs
Required Text
David J. Griffiths. Introduction to Electrodynamics. (3rd edition).
Recommended Books
At a level lower than our course you may consult
Halliday, Resnick, and Krane. Physics. Volume 2.
R. P. Feynman. The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Volume 2.
E. M. Purcell. Electricity and Magnetism.
At a level similar to our course, there is a nice new textbook
Pollack and Stump. Electromagnetism. Addison-Wesley 2002.
At a level higher than our course, the classic textbook is
J. D. Jackson. Classical Electrodynamics. (3rd edition).
This book could have been used selectively as our text, but Griffiths is less daunting to read, more elementary and pedagogical. Jackson’s book will be useful for you in any advanced EM course. We will use some problems from Jackson, but this book is not needed for 8.07. More demanding but less comprehensive than Jackson is The Classical Theory of Fields by L. Landau and E. Lifschitz.
Homework
Typically given out on the second day of class each week and due one week later. Late homework will receive 50% credit. Homework received two working days after the due date will not be graded. Collaboration and discussion in doing the homework is very much encouraged, but you must write your own solution, i.e., do not submit identical solutions!
Tests
There will be 1.5 hour in-class test in the second month of the term and a final exam.
Grading
Test one 30%, final test 35%, and homework 35%.