Why electric field lines are perpendicular to electric field and orientation of electric and magnetic waves in electromagnetic waves?
The electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave are always perpendicular to each other and to the direction of wave propagation. This is a fundamental property of electromagnetic waves and is a consequence of Maxwell's equations, which describe the behavior of electric and magnetic fields.
Electric field lines are imaginary lines that represent the direction and strength of the electric field. The direction of the electric field is tangent to the electric field lines. The number of electric field lines passing through a given area is proportional to the strength of the electric field.
The orientation of the electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave is determined by the direction of wave propagation. The electric field vector is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation, and the magnetic field vector is perpendicular to both the electric field vector and the direction of wave propagation.
The reason why the electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave are perpendicular to each other is because they are generated by each other. When an electric field changes, it produces a magnetic field. When a magnetic field changes, it produces an electric field. This reciprocal relationship between the electric and magnetic fields is what causes them to be perpendicular to each other and to propagate through space as an electromagnetic wave.
The perpendicularity of the electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave has several important consequences. One consequence is that electromagnetic waves can travel through space without the need for any medium. This is because the electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave are self-sustaining and do not require the presence of any material particles to exist.
Another consequence of the perpendicularity of the electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave is that they can be polarized. Polarization is the orientation of the electric field vector in an electromagnetic wave. There are three types of polarization: linear polarization, circular polarization, and elliptical polarization.
Linear polarization is the simplest type of polarization. In a linearly polarized wave, the electric field vector oscillates in a single plane. The direction of the electric field vector is called the polarization axis.
Circular polarization is a more complex type of polarization. In a circularly polarized wave, the electric field vector rotates in a circle as the wave propagates. The direction of rotation of the electric field vector is called the handedness of the polarization.
Elliptical polarization is a type of polarization that is in between linear and circular polarization. In an elliptically polarized wave, the electric field vector traces out an ellipse as the wave propagates. The shape of the ellipse is determined by the relative strengths of the horizontal and vertical components of the electric field vector.
The polarization of an electromagnetic wave can be measured using a polarizer. A polarizer is a device that only allows light waves with a certain polarization to pass through. Polarizers are used in a variety of applications, such as sunglasses, camera lenses, and LCD screens.
The perpendicularity of the electric and magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave is a fundamental property of electromagnetic waves that has a number of important consequences. One consequence is that electromagnetic waves can travel through space without the need for any medium. Another consequence is that they can be polarized. Polarization is used in a variety of applications, such as sunglasses, camera lenses, and LCD screens.
I would disagree and state that there are cases when the electric and magnetic field components in an electromagnetic field are not perpendicular to each other and that there might even be no direction of propagation. One example is a circularly-polarized standing-wave field, see the example on page 47 in Section 2.2. "Waves in Perfect Dielectrics" of the book "Time-Harmonic Electromagnetic Fields" by Roger F. Harrington (published at Wiley). In the described case "E and H are always parallel to each other". The amplitudes of E and H are independent of time and only their direction changes.
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