Unit 1: Electrostatics and Gauss's Law


     The first unit of this course will describe the fundamental ideas of charge and electric field that will carry through all the lessons on electromagnetic phenomena.  Although several of the topics found in this unit are traditionally thought of as difficult due to the nebulus nature of their conceptual foundations, one can certainly gain a developed appreciation of charge, field, and Gauss's Law in a short period of time with appropriate learning strategies.  It is assumed that any student taking this course has already taken a course in mechanics, because many of the concepts such as vectors, force, work, and energy will be revisited in this course and the problem solving techniques associated with them will be utilized without extensive explanation.  So get ready to explore the exciting world of charges!  Click on the introduction link in the workflow to begin.

Suggested timeframe: 2 weeks

To see information about obtaining a companion book online, click here.
(HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

Big Ideas:
1. Like charges repel while opposite charges attract.
2. Electric fields exert force on charged particles.
3. Gauss's Law enables one to easliy determine the strength of an electric field in some cases.