Instructions
The term paper will be worth 20% of the final grade. It should be about 5 pages in length on a topic related to (1) a practical everyday or technological application of electromagnetism, (2) a geo/astro/biophysical phenomenon in which electromagnetism plays a central role, (3) mathematical/numerical techniques for solving electrostatic problems, or (4) the history of electromagnetism.
You should assume that the person reading the paper has taken PHYS 350 and has a knowledge of electromagnetism at the level of the class. In your paper, you should (1) introduce the topic, and explain the background to the problem and why it is interesting, (2) carefully describe (preferably with the help of a diagram or two) the basic physics of the process, device, or experiment, and (3) perform a simple calculation (at the "back of the envelope" level) which determines the basic quantities involved, and illustrates the physics. For example, you could describe the basic physics that causes a fridge magnet to stick to the metal door, and estimate the strength of the typical magnet needed, or describe the processes involved in a lightning strike, and estimate the charge transferred, typical currents, and frequency of lightning strikes around the globe.
Important dates
You should send a title and a short description of the topic of your paper by email to the instructor by 5pm on Friday 20th October.
The term paper is due by 5pm on Friday 24th November.
Assessment
Your term paper will be graded in the following categories.
1. Presentation and structure - was the material presented in a logical way? was the paper structured so that the reader has a good sense of where it is going? were references cited appropriately?
2. Research - how well was the topic researched? were appropriate sources used? did you show evidence of critical thinking when using the sources?
3. Explanation and understanding of the basic physics - how well was the basic physics identified? was it clearly explained at an appropriate level?
4. Estimation - how well was material learned in class applied to make a "back of the envelope" estimate of relevant quantities?
Possible topics
Some suggestions for topics are given below, but feel free to come up with your own topic, or see me for alternative suggestions.
Geophysics/Astrophysics/Biophysics
the orbits of particles trapped in the Van Allen belts
lightning and the electric field of the Earth
paleomagnetism
the electromagnetic interaction between Jupiter and its moon Io
detection of subsurface oceans in Jupiter's moons from their magnetic behaviour
magnetars
the solar cycle or Earth's dynamo
electrodynamics of cell membranes
Everyday life
a refridgerator magnet
the electric shock you sometimes get after stepping out of a car
wireless charging of an electric toothbrush
Examples from technology or industry
electrostatic precipitators/filters, or electrostatic paint spraying
magnetic levitation
a Van de Graaff generator
the separation of plastics for recycling
traffic counting devices or actuated traffic signals
electromagnetism in medicine
the focusing and steering of particle beams in accelerators, how accelerators work
electrorheological fluids
magnetic shielding
superconductors
History of electromagnetism
discuss a particular experiment which was important in the development of electromagnetism
Mathematical techniques
solution of Laplace's equation using complex functions
numerical solution of electrostatic problems