Course Title
Course Code PHS 102 / Department: PHYSICS
Name of Presenter: OLURIN OLUWASEUN T
1
, ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Electromagnetic waves or EM waves are waves that are created as a result of vibrations
between an electric field and a magnetic field. In other words, EM waves are composed of
oscillating magnetic and electric fields
2
,These are waves composed of undulating electrical fields and magnetic
fields. The different kind of EM waves such as light and radio waves form
the electromagnetic spectrum.
Note that all EM waves have the same speed in a vaccum (expressed by the
letter c) and is equal to about 3 x 108m/s.
Maxwell’s theory is a mathematical formulation that relates electric and
magnetic phenomena. His theory, among other things predicted that
electric and magnetic fields can travel through space as waves. He
predicted that
, (i) a changing electric field produces a magnetic field
(ii) an accelerating charges will radiate EM waves and that
(iii) the electric and magnetic fields in the wave are fluctuating. The figure below shows an EM waves in picture.
4
Course Code PHS 102 / Department: PHYSICS
Name of Presenter: OLURIN OLUWASEUN T
1
, ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Electromagnetic waves or EM waves are waves that are created as a result of vibrations
between an electric field and a magnetic field. In other words, EM waves are composed of
oscillating magnetic and electric fields
2
,These are waves composed of undulating electrical fields and magnetic
fields. The different kind of EM waves such as light and radio waves form
the electromagnetic spectrum.
Note that all EM waves have the same speed in a vaccum (expressed by the
letter c) and is equal to about 3 x 108m/s.
Maxwell’s theory is a mathematical formulation that relates electric and
magnetic phenomena. His theory, among other things predicted that
electric and magnetic fields can travel through space as waves. He
predicted that
, (i) a changing electric field produces a magnetic field
(ii) an accelerating charges will radiate EM waves and that
(iii) the electric and magnetic fields in the wave are fluctuating. The figure below shows an EM waves in picture.
4
