MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

ELECTROMAGNETISM

8.02

SPRING 2001

SOLUTIONS

Assignment #12

Use of SolutionsThese Solutions are provided to you with the understanding that youwill make every attempt to use them responsibly, in a manner that doesnot impede your learning. We strongly suggest that you not refer tothem until after you have done the reading, at least in part, and havespent a reasonable effort (~30 min.) on each assigned problem of agiven assignment, on your own.

2001 Hale Bradt and Fulvio Melia January 2001Scanned March 2003

How to Use these Solutions

As indicated on the front page, these solutions are provided to you in the hope thatyou will not refer to them until after you have done the reading and spent areasonable effort (~30 min.) on each assigned problem of a given assignment. Wefurther recommend that you then go back and try again those problems you couldnot complete; you may now understand enough to finish them. Similarly we suggestyou do not discuss the problems with your peers until this effort has been put in byboth parties.

While working initially on the assignment, if you have trouble with a given problem,you should feel free to refer to the text (including examples), or the "Notes" thataccompany the problems, or your lecture notes, but avoid the Solutions. Discussionwith your friends can also be productive as it forces you to explain your currentunderstanding. When you come to understand the problem, try to understand whyyou got off the track in your first attempt. This will help you to approach otherproblems sensibly.

The few hours you spend on your first attempts at the homework problems will bethe most productive learning time. Premature reference to the Solutions can be areal trap; it is easy to "understand" them without really having faced up to thesubtleties and underlying principles. Also they tend to be relatively detailed andsomewhat long in order to clarify details. This can be discouraging to a prematurereader, but a great help to the prepared reader who has already figured out largeparts of it by him/herself.

It is my hope that your use of these Solutions will help you understand the materialmore thoroughly and efficiently by providing you with feedback while the issues arestill fresh in your mind. Please use them appropriately.