Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology

MARKING SCHEME: ECE 322 Electromagnetics II

Academic Year: 2015/2016 Semester: II
Question 1
a) Define the following terms: (3 marks)
(i) Permeability
(ii) Current density
(iii) Polarization
b) State the Maxwell’s equations in integral form (4 marks)
c) Differentiate between transverse electromagnetic (TEM) wave and uniform plane wave.
(2 marks)
Solution
TEM: fields lie in a plane that is transverse or orthogonal to the direction of wave
propagation.
Uniform plane wave: has the same magnitude throughout any transverse plane, defined
by z=constant.
d) For electromagnetic wave propagation inside a good conductor, show that the electric and

the magnetic fields are out of phase by . (2 marks)

Solution

The ratio of electric field to magnetic field is given by:

For a good conductor, this can be approximated by ; since

e) Given the scalar potential function: (10 marks)

Determine:
(i) The electric field strength and the electric flux density at (2,𝜋/2, 0)

1
 (ii) The work done in moving a 10-µC charge from point A (1,30o, 120o) to
B(4,90o,60o)
Solution

f) Show that a light beam passing through a plane slab emerges parallel to its incident
direction displaced laterally by a distance d given by (2 marks)
t
d= sin(θ 1−θ2 )
cos θ 2
g) Consider a plane wave normally incident on a half-space of copper. If f=1GHz compute
the:
(i) propagation constant, (1 mark)
(ii) impedance (2 marks)
(iii) skin depth for the conductor (2
marks)
(iv)Reflection and transmission coefficients (2 marks)
Question 2
a) Define the term Brewtser’s angle. (2 marks)

2
 ni cos θi−nt cos θt
b) Given r =
⃦ show brewster’s angle (8
ni cos θi +cos θ t
marks)
c) Find Brewster’s angle for internal and external incidence at an air-glass interface.
Assume an index of refraction of 1.5 for the glass (5 marks)
d) Find the minimum thickness of a quarter wave plate for use at 589 nm using quartz. Find
thickness when m=200 (5 marks)
Question 3
ni cos θi−nt cos θt 2 ni cos θi
a) Show that r ⏊= and t ⏊= (8
ni cos θi +cos θ t ni cos θ i+ cos θt
marks)
b) Find the values of r ⏊, t ⏊ ,r ⃦ and t ⃦ for normal incidence when
(i) the incident medium is air (ni =1.00 ¿ and the transmitted medium is glass with
(n¿ ¿t=1.50)¿ (2
marks)
(ii) the incident medium is glass with (n t=1.50) and the transmitted medium is air (
ni =1.00 ¿ (2 marks)
c) Show that

φ ⏊=2 tan
−1
( )
nt
ni
α

Where

√( )
2
ni
sin θi +1
nt
α=
cos θi
(8 marks)
Question 4
a) Explain the plasma effect giving the equation for plasma frequency. (4 marks)
Solution
A plasma is a gas consisting of ionized particles. The ionosphere consists of spherical
layers of atmosphere with particles that have been ionized by solar radiation, and thus
forms a plasma region. A very dense plasma is formed on a spacecraft as it reenters the

3
 atmosphere from outer space, due to the high temperatures produced by friction. Plasmas
are also produced by lightning, meteor showers, and nuclear explosions. A plasma is
characterized by the number of ions per unit volume; depending on this density and the
frequency, a wave might be reflected, absorbed, or transmitted by the plasma medium.

Plasma frequency
b) From Maxwell’s equations in differential form, show that vector wave equation

(homogeneous vector Helmholtz’s equation) is given by . (6 marks)

Solution

Taking curl on both sides of the third equation;

................(1)

Applying the vector identity on the left-hand side of equation

(1) and invoking the first and the fourth Maxwell’s equations, we obtain

c) In a lossless medium for which , , and

A/m, calculate , and . (10 marks)

Solution

In this case, so

rad/s

4
 ,

where and . Notice that although has

components along and , it has no component along the direction of propagation; it

therefore a TEM wave.

For ,

Hence,

For ,

Hence

But

Therefore, V/m.
Question 5
a) State any three characteristics of electromagnetic energy. (3 marks)
Solution
i. Travel at high velocity
ii. In travelling, assume the properties of waves
iii. They radiate outward from a source, without benefit of any discernible physical
vehicles.

5
b) Starting from the appropriate Maxwell’s equations, and using the appropriate integral theorems,

show that the continuity equation is given by and state the physical significance of
this equation. (7 marks)

Solution
From Maxwell’s fourth equation;

..............(1)

Using vector identity: ..............(2)

Maxwell’s first equation is which (differentiating with respect to time, t) gives:

..................(3)
Combining equation (2) and (3) gives:

Physical significance - if there is a net electric current is flowing out of a region, then the charge
in that region must be decreasing. If there is more electric current flowing into a given volume
than exiting, than the amount of electric charge must be increasing.
c) A 2 kHz electromagnetic propagates in a non-magnetic medium having a relative
permittivity of 20 and a conductivity of 3.85 S/m. Determine if the material is a good
conductor or otherwise. Calculate the phase velocity of the wave, the propagation and
attenuation constants, the skin depth and the intrinsic impedance. (10 marks)
Solution

S/m

(it is neither a good metal)

Propagation constant rad/m

Attenuation constant Np/m

6
Intrinsic impedance

Phase velocity m/s

Skin depth m