Overview

This unit provides a basic introduction to electronics (including analogue, DC circuit theory, digital electronics, analogue AC circuit theory, and amplification). The unit also provides a basic introduction to electromagnetism (including electric and magnetic fields, the generation of electricity and electromagnetic waves). Moreover, the unit includes the concepts of optics and modern physics (atomic, molecular, nuclear, relativity and quantum physics).

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Pathways Teaching 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
21-October-2024
31-January-2025
Last self-enrolment date
03-November-2024
Census date
15-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-December-2024
Results released date
11-February-2025
Pathways Teaching 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
23-June-2025
26-September-2025
Last self-enrolment date
06-July-2025
Census date
18-July-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
15-August-2025
Results released date
07-October-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a sound understanding of the fundamental principles underlying basic electronics and electromagnetism.
  • Design, construct and analyse simple electronics circuits, both independently and collaboratively
  • Identify and solve numerical problems involving electronics, electromagnetism, optics, modern physics and quantum mechanics.
  • Communicate understanding of electronics and electromagnetism verbally and in written form.
  • Work in a team of peers to carry out and write up laboratory experiments and participate in discussion.

Teaching methods

All applicable locations

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)

On-campus (Lecture)

 2 12weeks 24
On-campus (Class 1) 2 12 weeks 24
On-campus (Class 2) 2 6 weeks 12
On-campus (Practical) 2 6 weeks 12
Unspecified Activities (Independent Learning) 6.5 12 weeks 78
Total     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULOs
Online Quizzes Individual  15-25% 1,2,3,4,5
Laboratory Report Group  15-25% 1,2,3,4,5
Test Individual  25-35% 4,5
Test Individual  25-35% 1,2,3,4

Content

  • Digital electronics: introduction, digital logic & basic logic gates, design and amplification of circuits. 
  • Analog DC electronics: charge, current, voltage, Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s laws, voltage divider, current divider, analysis and simplification of series and parallel resistive and capacitive circuits, power and power transfer. 
  • Analog AC electronics: alternating current & voltage, frequency, period, phase, amplitude (p-p, peak and RMS), reactance, inductor circuit and reactance, RC and RL series circuits, phasor notation, impedance, RLC series resonance circuit, low and high pass filters, ideal transformers. 
  • Amplification: ideal op-amp, model, open and closed loop gain, inverting and non-inverting configurations. 
  • Electromagnetism: electric and magnetic fields (static and changing), magnets, magnetic induction, Faraday’s law, Lenz’s law, AC generators. 
  • Electromagnetic waves: Maxwell’s Properties of electromagnetic waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, producing electromagnetic waves, energy and momentum in electromagnetic waves. 
  • Introduction to the concepts of optics, including reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction, imaging and optical detectors. 
  • Modern physics, including atomic, nuclear physics and also the concept of relativity and quantum mechanics.

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.