The mathematical form of the magnetic field due to a current loop, and the fact that it is identical to the electric field due to an electric dipole in the far field, are fundamental to our understanding of electromagnetism. While undergraduate level electromagnetism textbooks usually derive the electric field from an electric dipole, few derive…

This work provides a missing manual needed to understand permanent magnets (also known as "hard" magnets), the only source of "magnetic induction field B" (units of teslas), often called the magnetic field, that students are familiar with when they confront magnetic force acting on moving charges. Students see this magnetic…

The question of how the processes around the Faraday generator with its rotating magnet should be interpreted has been controversial since its discovery by Faraday. Does the magnetic field rotate together with the rotating magnet or does it remain stationary? Furthermore, does one only need Faraday's flux law to interpret inductive processes, or…

In this work, we will describe a Peer Project Learning assignment focused on the STEM project-based learning activities where students build a custom board game with a series of constraints that guide them to learn (and later teach) about the main concepts of an electromagnetism physics course for undergraduate students.

To help engage non-physics majors in a General Physics II (Electricity & Magnetism) course at the University of Indianapolis, students used their smartphones to detect magnetic fields on campus in a semester-long data collection project. This paper discusses details about the design of the project, previous studies that utilize smartphones for…

Magnets are familiar objects and yet magnetism as a concept remains challenging. A casual search of YouTube for magnets reveals a staggering number of videos, interesting demos involving electric and permanent magnets, and entire channels devoted to various uses for magnets. It is far more difficult to find descriptions that can help students…

In this work, an educational experience is described in which a microwave communication link is used to make students aware that all electromagnetic waves have the same physical nature and properties. Experimental demonstrations are linked to theoretical concepts to increase comprehension of the physical principles underlying electromagnetic…

A typical introduction to electromagnetic waves in vacuum is illustrated by the following quote from an introductory physics text: "Maxwell's equations predict that an electromagnetic wave consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. The changing fields induce each other, which maintains the propagation of the wave; a changing electric…

Idealized models are often used in introductory physics courses. For one, such models involve simple mathematics, which is a definite plus since complex mathematical manipulations quickly become an obstacle rather than a tool for a beginner. Idealized models facilitate a student's understanding and grasp of a given physical phenomenon, yet they…

Discusses the meaning of velocity in the Lorentz force law and to what the velocity of the charge is relative. Provides a brief summary of the history of the magnetic force. (23 references) (MDH)