Teaching acoustic and electromagnetic waves

Abstract

Students have observational experience with waves by speaking and hearing, seeing, and feeling but their use of mathematics may be delayed until introductory physics at middle school, high school, and/or college. Students following a university physics or engineering bachelor’s degree are usually required to take a course on electromagnetic wave theory because of the foundational science and/or applications such as communications and observation. Regrettably, it is common that a mathematical description of various wave propagations may be acquired but without a thorough understanding of the underlying physics – especially in electromagnetics. Thus, we have tried to develop an introductory graduate level course that teaches electromagnetics and optic waves and its applications on the foundation of first understanding acoustics. This serves as a preparation for research or vocation. Topics include traveling waves, standing waves, wave impedance, radiation patterns, interference, interferometry, sonar and radar, imaging, waveguides in more. Examples of introducing the mathematics of solution first and then derivations of wave equation is presented. The goal is that mathematics should be a useful language to communicate physical information and that acoustic demonstrations should reinforce learning in multiple physical modalities.