Course Syllabus

About the Course

Here is a PDF version for your convenience.

EPII is a study of waves, electricity, and magnetism. At times, these seem like three separate topics. We will learn that all three are entangled in surprising ways, giving us some of our deepest glimpses of the natural world. Our study of electricity and magnetism will challenge us mathematically but also give us a vivid illustration of just how powerful a tool mathematics is for communicating the apparently ordered laws of nature. I am excited to learn with you, this semester!

Course number and title:
PHYS 222 -- Engineering Physics II

Credit hours:
3

Semester and year:
Fall 2020

Meeting time and place:  
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:10-10 AM

Face to Face:

Onstead Science Center (OSC) 371. For your convenience, here is a link to the ACU campus map.

Online:

Google Meet, Meeting Code: ep2

Prerequisites/Corequisites: 
Prerequisite: PHYS 220/PHYS 221. May be used to satisfy University Requirements. Corequisite: PHYS 223.  

Catalog description:
Heat, thermodynamics, electricity, and magnetism.

Intended audience:
Sophomore science majors.

 

About the Teacher

Howdy! My name is Jim Drachenberg, aka "Dr. Drach." I was delighted to return to my alma mater for the Fall 2018 semester. I previously held a faculty position at Lamar University and a visiting faculty position at Valparaiso University. I received my Ph.D. in physics from Texas A&M University and completed postdoctoral work at Valparaiso University. I am active in nuclear physics research as a member of the STAR collaboration at Brookhaven National Laboratory. One of my favorite things is working with students in cutting-edge research like building brand new detectors for STAR on campus or analyzing data for papers to tell the world about the cool stuff we're learning about our amazing universe.

Professor:
Dr. Jim Drachenberg, Associate Professor

Office location:
Onstead Science Center (OSC) 123A

Phone number:
(325) 674-6150  

Email address:
jld00a@acu.edu. You may also contact me through the Canvas course.

Office hours/Contact expectations: 
MTWF 10:00 – 11:00 AM or by appointment. I welcome virtual appointments on Google Meet, meeting code: drach_officehours.

 

Mission Statements

ACU Mission:
The mission of Abilene Christian University is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

College Mission:
The College of Arts and Sciences endeavors to educate students for worldwide Christian service and leadership through programs of study and other learning experiences that blend a liberal arts education with professional and career education. The college offers a broad spectrum of programs in the arts, humanities, social sciences, behavioral sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics as well as professional and pre-professional programs. Many courses in the college are designed to provide a unique liberal arts education from a Christian perspective to students of all majors throughout the university.

Department Mission:
ACU undergraduate engineering and physics majors pursue a deeper understanding of the physical world through theory, application, analysis and practical design. Their education comes under the mentorship of dedicated Christian engineers who bring a variety of experiences and backgrounds to the table and who guide students as they develop technical knowledge and skills the professional practice skills that prepare them for engineering careers. At ACU, we admire God’s handiwork in the laws of the universe and seek to understand and apply those principles to solve big problems while improving the lives of people around the world.

Unique Christian Perspective:
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” — Psalm 19:1

Engineering Physics is a two-semester sequence of courses giving a broad introduction to the fundamental physical laws. In these courses and their labs, we begin to peel back the top layers of our universe. What we observe with our own senses is the ordered nature of creation and the predictability of its apparent rules. We also begin to see that every observation we make comes with a recognition of our limitations. We cannot explain anything we observe with absolute certainty! We begin to see that our Creator has gifted us with a universe that humbles us with its complexity and vastness—a reflection of His Divine nature—yet is navigable and applicable for blessing the lives of others—a reflection of His Own grace and mercy.

 

Course Content

Outline of topics:

• Periodic Motion
• Waves in One Dimension
• Waves in Two and Three Dimensions
• Electric Interactions
• The Electric Field
• Gauss’s Law
• Work and Energy in Electrostatics
• Charge Separation and Storage
• Magnetic Interactions
• Magnetic Fields of Charged Particles in Motion
• Changing Magnetic Fields
• Changing Electric Fields
• Ray Optics
• Wave and Particle Optics

 

Format

Format of Class:  
Come to class prepared to engage and ask questions! Learning is most effective—and certainly more fun!—when there is active discussion between you, your peers, and me. To that end, here is how I expect you to prepare for class

• Complete the assigned reading in the textbook
• Watch and complete the pre-lecture video and quiz on Canvas
• In the Canvas discussion for the day, dialogue on what you found easiest, what you found most difficult, and what you would like to discuss further in class

In class, we will focus on working problems together and discussing the material on which you most need help. While I come prepared, I always welcome your feedback, e.g. in class, in office hours, over e-mail, or through Canvas discussions.

On-line: When we must meet on-line, we will use Google Meet, code: ep2. We will meet during our normal class times and do our best to recreate the face-to-face experience. In light of this, it is extremely important that you continue to come prepared.

 

Proceed to Textbook & Materials