AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This teaching unit provides the fundamental concepts and laws of electromagnetism in a vacuum.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

General aims
The General Physics (B module) course has the following objectives:

• to provide basic knowledge on the topics of electromagnetism in vacuum
• to provide useful tools for the modeling and analysis of real, complex physical situations
• to show, through examples, how it is possible to use simple models of complex real situations to make predictions on the evolution of physical systems
• to build a suitable language for the description of physical reality
• to stimulate communication between students around physics topics

Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the students are expected to be able to:

• describe and use the scientific method for the analysis of physical phenomena
• understand the language / lexicon of physics in the description of physical phenomena
• identify the model that best describes a given physical phenomenon,
• use the language / lexicon of physics in the description of physical phenomena and in solving problems
• describe the theory of electromagnetism in vacuum
• describe the physical reality in a quantitative way
• solve problems of mechanics and electromagnetism by combining the theoretical notions of physics with the appropriate mathematical formalism
• justify each step when solving an exercise, when providing a formal demonstration and when describing a model
• evaluate their own knowledge of the contents and their ability to describe physical situations by exploiting the proposed models

Acquisition of soft, transversal skills
The course aims to encourage the acquisition of transversal skills such as functional literacy competence, personal competence, social competence, the learning-to-learn ability.

TEACHING METHODS

The topics are presented and exemplified in the lectures (60 hours). The lectures consist of:

• explanations and demonstrations on the digital board
• use of power point presentations
• use of videos
• use of simulation tools (matlab, algodoo, java applet)

Alongside the presentation of the contents, the teacher presents and solves exercises on the digital board.

Students are also invited to actively participate in the lesson by means of:

• exercises led by the teacher and carried out in small groups
• apps that allow students to immediately verify that they have understood the teacher's explanation through short questionnaires and exercises. These tests are always carried out anonymously. The tests allow the teacher to monitor, during the course of the lesson, the level of understanding by the class
• exercises to be carried out at home, independently or in a group
• exercises based on the "think-pair-share" method
• simple experiments, aimed at predict or verify physical laws

Each lesson combines at least three different teaching methods.

Group exercises in the classroom, "think pair share" activities and homework (also to be carried out in groups) will support the acquisition of basic level personal and social skills, as well as basic functional literacy skills. The use of learning verification apps during lessons, and the teachers' habit of offering self-evaluation tips, both during lessons and during oral tests, will favor the acquisition of metacognition skills (basic level personal skills, basic level learning-to-learn skills).

In order to support the students during the preparation of the written and oral parts of the exam, a teaching assistant will organize sessions during which exercises will be solved and discussed.

The B module of the course includes tests, which allow the student to self-evaluate and the teacher to monitor the learning level of the class.

Students with valid certifications for Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs), disabilities or other educational needs are invited to contact the teacher and the School's contact person for disability at the beginning of teaching to agree on possible teaching arrangements that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning patterns. Contacts of the teacher and the School's disability contact person can be found at the following link Comitato di Ateneo per l’inclusione delle studentesse e degli studenti con disabilità o con DSA | UniGe | Università di Genova

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Forces between point charges (Coulomb's law). Electric field E. Superposition principle, Gauss's law. Electric potential, energy of a charge in an electric field. Energy of a system of charges. Analogies with the gravitational field.
• Properties of conductors. Capacitors. Energy density of the field E.
• Electricity. Ohm's law. Joule effect. Generators. Kirchhoff's laws. RC circuits.
• Definition of magnetic field B (Lorentz force). Forces on a current-carrying conductor. Mechanical moment acting on a current loop.
• Magnetic moment of a current loop. Methods for the determination of B generated by currents: Ampère's law, Biot-Savart's law.
• Flow of B through a closed surface and concatenated with a closed line. Faraday's law. Self-induction. RL circuits. Energy density of the magnetic B.
• Maxwell's displacement current. Maxwell's equations in integral form.
• Introduction to the physics of semiconductors.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1) D. Halliday, R.Resnick, J.Walker, “Fondamenti di Fisica” I e II; Ed. CEA
2) R.A. Serway, Jewett, “Principi di Fisica”, Terza Edizione - Volume I e II; EdiSES, Napoli.
3) W.E. Gettys, F.J. Keller, Fisica Generale, McGraw Hill
4) P. Mazzoldi, M. Nigro e C. Voci, Elementi di Fisica (volume I e II)

The teaching materials are also considered appropriate for students with learning disabilities. If different materials or methods are needed, students are encouraged to contact the instructor.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/en/corsi/11911/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

EXAM:  written exam (one complete or two partial - mandatory) + oral exam (mandatory)

The final grade is the result of the sum of the marks of the written and oral exams. Written and oral exams are mandatory for all students.

IN ITINERE ACTIVITIES (only for newly matriculated students)

For module B, in itinire activities are foreseen that will entitle the student to a maximum of 2 bonus points, which will be added to the mark of the written paper. The activities and how the additional marks will be awarded will be discussed in the classroom and posted on the course Aulaweb page.

COMPLETE WRITTEN TEST

The complete written test consists of four exercises: 2 exercises on Mechanics + 2 exercises on Electromagnetism. The maximum time available for the complete test (2 + 2 problems) is four hours. The dates of the written tests are reported on Aulaweb and on the exam calendar website. Only scheduled exams are granted.

The points obtained with the activities evaluated in itinere are valid up to and including the February exam.

PARTIAL WRITTEN TESTS (only for newly matriculated students)

There are two partial written tests reserved for newly enrolled students. The first (on the module A - classical Mechanics), concurrent with the ordinary exams of January and February, consists of 2 exercises on Mechanics. The second one (on module B - Electromagnetism), concurrent with the ordinary exams of June and July, in 2 exercises on Electromagnetism. The maximum time available for each partial test is 2 hours.

The partial written exam on Mechanics of January, can be repeated, regardless of the test result, in February.

If the partial exam on Mechanics is passed with a score ≥ 15/32 (excluding Aulaweb test points), students are entitled to sustain the partial exam on Electromagnetism, which will take place during the ordinary tests of June and July. Also in this case it is possible to repeat the test in July.

If the second partial test is passed with a score ≥ 15/32 (excluding bonus points), the written exam is considered passed with a score equal to the arithmetic mean of the first and second partial tests.

WHAT CAN I CONSULT DURING THE WRITTEN?

During the written tests students are not allowed to use any text-book. A copy of the formulary (the same downloadable from Aulaweb) is provided to each student. No electronic devices other than scientific calcuator are allowed.

CAN I REPEAT THE WRITTEN EXAM?

The student who has already passed the written exam, if not satisfied of the mark, can repeat written exam. The submission of the new classwork cancels the previous mark, indipendently on the result.

HOW LONG THE WRITTEN EXAM MARK IS VALID?

The mark of the written exam, obtained through the complete test (≥ 15/32) or through the two partial tests (≥ 15/32 for each test), grants the right to access to the oral exam up to the examination date of February of the following year included.

WHEN ARE THE ORAL EXAMINATIONS?

The oral examination dates are announced during the written test, and are reported on Aulaweb.

WRITTEN EXAM REGISTRATION

For limits in booking of classrooms, students wishing to take part in the written, partial or complete exam must register on unigepass, at least 5 days before the date of the exam.

Students with valid certifications for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), disabilities, or other educational needs may request compensatory and/or exemption measures for the exam. The procedures will be defined on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with the University Regulations, in consultation with the instructor and the School's Disability and SLD Coordinator.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

In the table below, it is clarified which assessment tool is associated with each learning objective (LO).

2 = oral admission test

3 = written test

4 = oral exam

LO: to describe the functioning of the scientific method for the analysis of physical phenomena
 2 = NO; 3 = NO; 4 = YES;

LO: to understand the language / lexicon of physics in the description of physical phenomena
 2 = YES; 3 = YES; 4 = YES;

LO: to identify the model, among those proposed, which best describes a given physical phenomenon
2 = YES; 3 = YES; 4 = YES;

LO: to use the language / lexicon of physics in the description of physical phenomena and in solving problems
 2 = NO; 3 = YES; 4 = YES;

LO: to describe the theory of classical mechanics and electromagnetism presented by the teachers
 2 = NO; 3 = IN PART; 4 = YES;

LO: to describe quantitatively the physical reality
 2 = YES; 3 = YES; 4 = YES;

LO: to solve problems of mechanics and electromagnetism by combining the theoretical notions of physics with mathematical formalism
2 = YES; 3 = YES; 4 = IN PART;

LO: to justify the steps when solving an exercise, doing a demonstration and when describing a model
 2 = NO; 3 = YES; 4 = YES;

LO: to evaluate your knowledge of the contents and your ability to describe physical situations by exploiting the theories and models proposed
 2 = NO; 3 = NO; 4 = YES;

FURTHER INFORMATION

Please contact the lecturer for further information not included in the course description.