Physics 4B

course syllabus

4B Lab Manual 
4B Lab Manual Classic


A few past full exams and finals with, and without, solutions:

First exam solution archives (separate pages)

Second exam solution archives (separate pages)


Consider watching the famous Walter Lewin MIT lectures as compliment to the lectures.


WHAT IS CHARGE?



Charge, Coulomb's law, and the electric field

 

Quiz 1 problem set:

Chapter 23 in Serway:

 
Find the radius of an atom given the charge values and the kinetic energy of the orbiting charge.

Find the E field along the perpendicular bisector of  two negative source charges using symmetry.
Find the E field along the perpendicular bisector of  two negative source charges not using symmetry.

The time of flight of a charge released in a non uniform electric field.

Find the electric field from two point sources.
Finding the electric field maximum along the perpendicular axis of a dipole.

Finding the electric field at a point away from a line of charge.


 

E fields from continuous distributions of charge and torques on distribution

 

Quiz 2 problem set:

 

Still Chapter 23:

 

The torque from a uniform electric field on a two charge system.

Finding the electric field at the center of a half ring of charge page 1
 half ring of charge page 2

Finding the electric field along the line of a finite length of charge.

Another problem in finding the electric field from a line of charge.

The force on a rod of charge perpendicular to an infinite line of charge.

 

 


Gauss's Law for electric fields

Quiz 3 problem set:

 

Chapter 24:

 

"E in" and "E out". A visual aid to understanding it.

Finding the electric field inside a uniformly charged spherical dielectric with a hollow cavity.

Finding the electric field at the center of a hemispherical shell of uniform charge distribution.

Finding the electric field at a point inside an offset spherical cavity within an otherwise uniformly charged dielectric sphere.

Finding the electric field inside a non-uniformly charged dielectric sphere using Gauss's Law.

Using Gauss' Law to find the electric field within the thickness of a charged dielectric sphere with an inner hollow.

Finding the electric flux through a plane area from a non-uniform electric field.

Finding the electric flux through a plane area from another non-uniform electric field.



Electric Potential and Energy

 

Quiz 4 problem set:

 

Chapter 25:

Finding the potential due to two equal rings of charge along their common axis.

Finding the potential to the left of two negatively charged infinite and parallel sheets of charge

Finding the external work necessary to move a charge at constant kinetic energy through a given distance with two other fixed charges present.

Finding the final surface charge density on one initially charged sphere after it is connected with another initially charged sphere

Finding the potential along the perpendicular bisector of a charged rod of length l.

The electric potential anywhere in a plane perpendicular to a finite line segment of charge



Capacitance and more energy

 

Quiz 5 problem set: But no quiz, just an exam.

 

Chapter 26:

Finding the total energy stored in a charged solid dielectric sphere using energy density.
 


A weird but effective summary of many ideas and equations in electrostatics.

 

Exam 1 now. Topic: electrostatics (given after about thirty lectures)

 


DC Circuits

 

Quiz 6 problem set:

 

 

Chapter 27 and 28:

Finding the resistance of a thick spherical shell

Finding the maximum power delivered to a load resistor by two real batteries in parallel

A problem on a resistor dissipating heat while a capacitor is charging.

A solution for a resistor capacitor circuit.

Finding the voltage across a capacitor when it is fully charged and in paralell with a resistor.


 

The Magnetic Force

 

Quiz 7 problem set:

 

Chapter 29:

 

Finding the magnetic moment of a spinning spherical shell of charge

Finding the radius of the helix a charge is moving in a magnetic field

Finding the magnetic moment of a spinning disk.
 
Finding the magnetic force on a half circle of current.
 

Seven pages of notes taken by a student covering  some properties of the magnetic force and its application to the basic design of a
velocity selector, a mass spectrometer, and a cyclotron. And also, the beginnings of  the magnetic force on a current carrying wire.
    page one
    page  two
    page three
    page four
    page five
    page six
    page seven
 

The solution to the magnetic torque holding a disk stationary on an inclined plane.
   page one
   page two
   page three
   page four



Creating magnetic fields: Gauss's Law for magnetism, Ampere’s Law, and the Biot-Savart Law

Quiz 8 problem set:

 

Chapter 30:


The force on a rectangular current loop from an infinitely long straight line of current.

An Ampere's law problem. 

Finding the magnetic field within a current carrying cylnder


Faraday's Law:

 

No Quiz set for this, just an exam instead.

 

Chapter 31:


The emf induced in a rotating rod in a magnetic field.
Finding the terminal velocity of a loop falling through a magnetic field

The magnetic flux through a rectangle from straight line current source.



Exam 2 (given during the last week of class)

 



Inductance and AC:

 

Quiz 9 problem set:

 

Chapter 32 and 33:
 



Maxwell's equations and electromagnetic waves:

Is there ever time for this? No, but the four Maxwell's equations (all in bold face where mentioned above in the titles) were all studied during the course.

Chapter 34: mysterious island