Field Theory (Electromagnetics)

Kod Kursus: KEEE 1123

Dr Suhana Mohd. Said

Room11, 7th Floor, Menara Kejuruteraan
Telephone: 7967 5399
Meeting times: Monday 2.30-3.30

Course contents
Minggu

Lecture title

Introduction to Electromagnetism, Historical

perspective and current applications

Vector Analysis: Cartesian, Cylindrical and

Spherical Coordinate System

Vector Analysis: Gradient, integration,

divergence and curl

Introduction to electrostatics : Basic postulates.

Calculation of Electric Field Intensity using
integration and Gauss law.

Electrical Potential and Electrical Materials

Boundary Conditions for two adjacent electrical

materials

Capacitors and Capacitance

Electrostatic energy and forces. Laplace and

Poisson equations

Charge movement in a conductor carrying a

steady current

10

Introduction to magnetostatics : Basic

postulates, calculation of magnetic flux density
using Biot Savart law

11

Amperes law to calculate magnetic flux density

12

Magnetic materials and mechanism for

magnetisation

13

Inductors and inductance

14

Magnetostatic energy, force and torque

15

Revision

Course requirements
Related course: Vector Analysis (KXEX 2245)
Reference books:
1.
D.K. Cheng, Fundamentals of Engineering
Electromagnetics (Second Edition)
2.
Matthew Sadiku, Elements of Electromagnetics,
Third Edition
3.
C.L Paul, K.W. Whites, S.A. Nasar, Introduction to
Electromagnetic Fields

Aims of the course

In order to understand the concept of electromagnetism.
What is electromagnetism?
The study of electrical charges in their static and
dynamic states.
Electrical field and magnetic field
These fields are interrelated.
Why is it necessary to study electromagnetism?
There are situations where circuit analysis is not sufficient
in order to solve problems concerning electrical ciruits:
A straight wire has an inductance value. But
inductances are usually related with electrical coils.
The volume of a transistor radio is varies with its
position in a room. But circuit theory implies that the
volume should remain constant regardless of the
position of the radio within the room.

The historical background of

electromagnetic theory
1.

Electrostatics:
Benjamin Franklin(1706-1790)/Joseph
Priestley(1733-1804) explained the relationship
between static electrical charges:

m1m2
d2

Charles de Coulomb (1736-1806)

Karl Frederick Gauss (1777-1855) divergence
theory and Gauss law.

2.

Magnetism:
Plato dan Socrates realised the magnetic
properties of the loadstone, which is able to
attract iron.
Gilbert (1540-1603) suggested that the earth
was a giant magnetic sphere.
Henry Cavendish (1773) the inverse square
law rule which explained the force within a
magnetic field.

3. Magnetism and electric currents

Hans Christian Oersted (1820) a wire carrying a
current could deflect a compass
Andre Ampere (1775-1836) a force exists
between two current-carrying wires
Jean-Baptiste Biot and Felix Savart Biot-Savart
law

4. Relationship between electric and magnetic fields

Faraday (1791-1867), in 1831, realised that a
time-varying magnetic field induced an electric
field.
James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) was a
mathematician who unified the subjects of theory
and magnetism.
Also demonstrated that light was an
electromagnetic wave
Maxwell derived four well-known equations which
are still widely used to explain and apply
electromagnetic phenomena. For example, in
radio antennas, electro-optic devices and
electrical transmission lines.

Properties of electrical charges

Electrical charges are the fundamental element in currents.
Comprise of either positive or negative charges. Like charges
attract, opposite charges repel.

In nature, the sum of charges is neutral.

Principle of conservation of charge: it is not possible to create
or annihilate positive (or negative) charges without creating/
annihilating an equal amount of negative or positive charges.
Charge symmetry. For every positively charged elementary
particle, there exists an identical elementary particle that is
negatively charged.
For example, electrons and positrons, protons and antiprotons.
Charges are quantised. The minimum amount of charge
Possessed by an elementary particle is that of an electron:
e=1.6x10-19 C (C=Coulomb)
All charges are integer multiples of the value e stated above.
Whatever has charge has mass. Therefore electricity is a form
of energy (from E=mv2).The lightest charged particle is:
melektron=9.1091x10-31kg.

Charges within an electromagnetic field

The presence and movement of charges produce

electric and magnetic fields.

The quantities of electric and magnetic fields are

directional vectors are needed!

Static charges produce an electrostatic field.

Moving charges produce

A steady flow of electric charges produce a

magnetostatic field.

Charge flow at a non-constant rate will produce

magnetic and electric fields.

The concept of fields:

Can be either a scalar field or a vector field.

Example of a scalar field:
Temperature variation within a room.

z
T3

T2
T1

For example, the room temperature is T1 for all the points

connected by the contour line T1. The values of
temperature at different points in the room are
dependent on the position and time.

Example of a vector field:

Fluid flow within a constricted pipe.

x
y

Fluid flow has direction and magnitude(rate of flow).

The value of the vector (i.e. fluid flow) is a function of
position and time, and can be written as:
F(x,y,z, t)

The electric field

Charge q1 produces an electric field.

q2
q1

The electric field from q1 influences q2 via an electric

field. 2 separate problems need to be solved:
a) The field from the presence of charges
b) The forces from the charges, as a result of the
electric field

The response from the movement of q1 will be

realised by charge q2, via the electric field.

The definition of an electric field

E=F/q0
Where E, F are vectors, q0 is scalar.

(1)

q0 is a test charge, and F is the electostatic force

which acts upon this test charge.

The size for q0 needs to be as small as possible, so

that it does not disturb the value of, E, which needs
to be measured. Therefore,
Equation (1) can be written as:
lim F
E
q0 0 q0

(2)

Therefore, the electric field is the limit where the

size of the test charge approaches zero.
The density of charges within the test charge can
be written as .
3 dimensions: volume charge density
2 dimensions: surface charge density
1 dimension: line charge density

Lines of force

Used to sketch the force lines.

The tangent to the lines of force give the value of E, the

electric field, at that point.

The number of the lines of force in a unit area is

proportional to the magnitude of E. For example,
closely spaced lines of force indicate a high value of
electric field.

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

Example of charges in an electrostatic

field.

P
++++++++++

P
++++++++++

A sketch of lines of force for a charge in

an electrostatic field.

+Q

+Q

+Q

+Q

+Q

+Q

Units and basic quantities in

electromagnetic theory
Basic SI units

Quantity

Unit

Abbreviation

Length

meter

Mass

kilogram

kg

Time

seconds

Current

ampere

Basic quantities in electromagnetic theory

Field

Quantity

Symbol

Unit

Electric

Electric Field
Intensity

V/m

Electric Flux Density D

C/m2

Magnetic Magnetic Flux

Density

Magnetic Field
Intensity

A/m

Universal constants in electromagnetic

theory
Constant

Symbol

Value (in free

space_

Speed of
light

3x108 ms-1

Permittivity

8.854x10-12
Fm-1 (Farad
per meter)

Permeability

4x10-7 Hm-1
(Henry per
meter)

Permittivity, 0,relates the electric flux density, D,

and electric field intensity, E.
D=0E

Permeability, 0, relates the magnetic flux density, B,

and the magnetic field intensity, H.
B= 0H
0 and 0 are related to c by the equation:

0 0