Book for Electromagnetics

Thread Starter

Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
Hi all,

A technologist at work has asked me to recommend him a book for understanding the rudiments of electromagnetics. From my university days, I learnt all my EM theory and applications from my lecture notes and the Serway and Beichner book, sadly these texts are a little heavy going for the technologist.

Can anyone recommend a decent book, e-book or website that would give a good rudimentary introduction to EM theory and applications, aimed at someone without and engineering background? The technologist has a decent grasp of mathematics so some maths is acceptable (I don't think he'd appreciate pages and pages of calculus though!).

Dave
 

DrNick

Joined Dec 13, 2006
110
I dont know if EM is the subject for him if he doesnt know any calculus. The clearest text that I know of for this subject are Field and Wave Electromagnetics by David K. Chang OR Classical Electromagnetics by J.D. Jackson, but they are probably too heavy for somone with a weak mathematical background.
But if he/she really wants to learn it I would say, get one of these books and a book called "Div, Grad, Curl and all that." This book is a great learning tool and reference for any EM course.
 

Thread Starter

Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
Hi DrNick,

Thanks for the recommendations. He isn't wanting to get a deep understanding, more he wants to get a solid grounding in the core principles of electromagnetics with the intention of understanding some of the concepts we talk about (I actually think there is some business motive in there). I like many of the engineers at work struggle to get across EM principles in a way normal people understand!

Also his mathematical skills are fairly good, as an example I have given him my 1st year EM Fields course notes from University and he handled them quite well - these notes focused primarily on the Integral representations of Maxwell's Equations and he kind of got it, once we gave him the 2nd year TM Lines and EM Waves course notes where the maths moves more towards Differential representations/Vector Calc he got lost.

I will pass on the recommendations.

Dave
 

Thread Starter

Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
If your friends math skills are good you may want to recommend the Feynman
Lectures on Physics.

(* jcl *)

---
www.luciani.org
Thanks for the recommendation John, I will pass it on. I think he will browse through the books on Google Books and then make a decision based on the cost - although the company is paying, it can sometimes be difficult getting things through purchasing :rolleyes:

Edit: Looks like Volume 2 is what he is needing.

Dave
 

Thread Starter

Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
I don't know if there is an e-book available on this particular book. But it is quite a famous book used for most of the basic Electrodynamic courses. I myself used it for 4 semesters. His books on QM and Elementary particles are also quite good. Here are some links I could find:
http://product.express.ebay.com/Int...h8711afccQQ_dl1ZBooksQQ_dl2ZBooksQQ_pidZ46876
http://academic.reed.edu/physics/faculty/griffiths.html
Thanks Reshma. It must be the "Introduction to Electrodynamics, 3rd ed.", Prentice-Hall, NJ, 1999 book you were referring to. I'll add it to the list.

Dave
 
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