Is magnetic field always perpendicular to electric field and what are the electric and magnetic field vectors in electromagnetic waves?
In an electromagnetic wave, the electric and magnetic fields are always perpendicular to each other and to the direction of propagation of the wave. This is a fundamental property of electromagnetic waves and is a consequence of Maxwell's equations.
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Electromagnetic wave electric and magnetic fields
The electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave are also in phase with each other, meaning that they reach their maximum and minimum values at the same time. This is also a consequence of Maxwell's equations.
The magnitude of the electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave are related to each other by the speed of light in a vacuum. The magnitude of the electric field is equal to the product of the magnitude of the magnetic field and the speed of light in a vacuum:
E = cB
where:
- E is the magnitude of the electric field
- B is the magnitude of the magnetic field
- c is the speed of light in a vacuum
The electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave can be described by a set of equations called Maxwell's equations. Maxwell's equations are a set of four partial differential equations that describe the behavior of electric and magnetic fields.
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