Practice question
Question
What physical implication arises from the fact that electromagnetic waves are transverse in nature?
Explanation
**EM wave in vacuum** transverse, E and B perpendicular to propagation and to each other, E×B along propagation, in phase, E/B = c =3×10⁸ m/s, c =1/√(μ₀ ε₀), μ₀=4π×10⁻⁷ H/m, ε₀=8.85×10⁻¹² F/m. For E₀=45 V/m, B₀=E₀/c=45/3×10⁸=1.5×10⁻⁷ T=150 nT, illustrating B much smaller than E. Being transverse means that the oscillations of electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to the direction of propagation, allowing polarization phenomena to occur in electromagnetic waves. Using c = fλ, E₀/B₀ = c, I_d = ε₀ dΦ_E/dt, and spectrum classification λ = c/f, evaluation yields They can be polarized, illustrating EM wave transverse nature and Maxwell's displacement current concept.
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