Electricity and Magnetism

Lec 8

Electromagnetic
Waves

Light is an electromagnetic wave.

What is a wave?

A wave is a traveling disturbance that carries

energy from one
place to another

Electromagnetic
Waves

Types of Waves
Transverse
Waves

Electromagnetic
Waves

Electromagnetic
Waves

Types of Waves
Longitudinal Waves

Electromagnetic
Waves

Electromagnetic
Waves

Electromagnetic
Waves

Properties of Waves

What are the symbol and units of wavelength?

(lambda)
any appropriate unit of length (m, cm, mm, nm, m)

Electromagnetic
Waves

Properties of Waves
Amplitude

Electromagnetic
Waves

Properties of Waves

Frequency
number of waves passing a given point per second

The electromagnetic wave

Electromagnetic
Waves

is a wave created when electric charges

oscillate or accelerate
Oscillationistherepetitivevariation,typicallyintime,ofsome
measureaboutacentralvalue(oftenapointofequilibrium)or
betweentwoormoredifferentstates.

has both electric and magnetic components

is self-propagating

The electromagnetic wave

Electromagnetic
Waves

needs no material medium for

transmission
The Ether and the Michelson-Morley Experiment
By
Albert A. Michelson (1852-1931)
Edward W. Morley (1838-1923)
Ether was postulated to be an extremely diffuse,
unobservable substance through which
electromagnetic radiation (light) is transmitted.

Electromagnetic
Waves

The electromagnetic wave

Electromagnetic
Waves

regardless of the frequency, wavelength, or

method of propagation, travels at a speed
of 3 108 m (186,272 mi) per second in a
vacuum

Speed of light
Refraction is the change

in direction of a wave due

to a change in its speed.
This is most commonly
observed when a wave
passes from one medium
to another.
Speed of light in a vacuum

299,792,458 m/s

Would the speed of light in

glass be greater or less

than that in vacuum?

Speed of light

Refractive index

c
n
v
nglass 1.5
nair 1.003
nwater 1.33
ndiamond 2.42

Speed of light

Nothing travels faster than the speed of

light in a vacuum.

What is light?
Light is electromagnetic radiation,

particularly radiation of a wavelength that is

visible to the human eye (about 400700 nm,
or perhaps 380750nm).
In physics, the term light sometimes refers to

electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength,

whether visible or not.

Attendance check

Pls get sheet yellow

paper.

Write your last name and first name.

You will be given exactly 7 minutes to answer.
Write fast. Think faster. But dont talk.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION (5PTS)

How would you describe light to

a blind man?

Time
remaining

1
2
5
3
6
7
4

Attendance check

Pls get sheet yellow

paper.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION
(5PTS)

How would you describe light to

a blind man?
Time
remaining

1
2
5
3
6
7
4

Electromagnetic Spectrum
Theelectromagnetic spectrum is the range of all
possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation.

km

cm

A
angstrom

10,000

1,000,000,000,000

There is an inverse relationship between

wavelength and frequency.

c
/

m s

Hzors-1

The energy of electromagnetic radiation is

given by

hc

h is Plancks
constant

Naturally-occurring radio waves

lightning and astronomical objects
Artificially-generated radio waves
for broadcasting, mobile and fixed
communications, navigation, computer
networks

Electromagnetic Radiation and Matter

The wavelength and frequency of electromagnetic waves are important in
determining heating effect, visibility, penetration, and other characteristics
of the electromagnetic radiation

transmission

energypassesthroughmatter

absorption

energyisconvertedintosomeotherform

scattering

energyisabsorbedandre-emittedrapidly(e.g.diffuse
scattering)

reflection

energyisscatteredatthesameangleastheoriginalwave

refraction

EMwaveslowsdownorchangesdirectionasitpassesthrough
matter

diffraction

wavesspreadandbendastheypassthroughsmallopeningsor
aroundbarriers