Nature of Electromagnetic Waves
Ø Electromagnetic
waves are transverse waves.
Ø The
transverse waves are those in which direction of disturbance or displacement in
the medium is perpendicular to that of the propagation of wave.
Ø The
particles of the medium are moving in a direction perpendicular to the
direction of propagation of wave.
Ø In case
of electromagnetic waves the propagation of wave takes place along -axis,
electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to the wave propagation.
Ø This
means wave propagation → -axis,
electric field → y-axis and
magnetic field → z-axis.
Ø Because
of this electromagnetic waves are transverse waves in nature.
Ø Electric
field of electromagnetic wave is represented as:
Ey = E0 sin(k – ωt)
where,
Ey = electric field along y-axis
= direction of propagation of wave
Wave number k
=
Ø Magnetic
field of EM wave is represented as:
Bz = B0 sin(k – ωt)
where,
BZ =
electric field along z-axis
= direction of propagation of wave