CH 12.

8: ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

1. Displacement current: It is that current which comes into 9. Contributions of J.C. Bose and Marconi: In 1895, Sir J.C. Bose
existence (in addition of conduction current) whenever the electric succeeded in producing and observing electromagnetic waves of
field and hence the electric flux changes with time. It is equal to ε0 much shorter wavelength (25 mm to 5 mm).
times the rate of change of electric flux through a given surface. In 1896, Guglielmo Marconi succeeded in transmitting
𝐝𝛟 𝐝𝐄
𝐈𝐃 = 𝛆𝟎 𝐄 = 𝛆𝟎 𝐀 electromagnetic waves over distances of many kilometers. His
𝐝𝐭 𝐝𝐭
experiments marked the beginning of radio communication.
2. Modified Ampere circuital law: It states that the line integral of
the magnetic field B over a closed path is equal to μ0 times the 10. Basic properties of electromagnetic waves:
sum of conduction current IC and the displacement current (ID) (i) The e.m. waves are produced by accelerated charges and do not
threading the closed path. require any medium for their propagation.
𝐝𝛟𝐄 ⃗ and ⃗𝐁
⃗ fields are perpendicular to each other
∮ 𝐁 ⃗⃗⃗ = 𝛍𝟎 (𝐈𝐂 + 𝐈𝐃 ) = 𝛍𝟎 (𝐈𝐂 + 𝛆𝟎
⃗⃗ . 𝐝𝐥 ) (ii) The oscillations of 𝐄
𝐝𝐭 as well as to the direction of propagation of the wave. So, the e.m.
The sum of conduction and displacement currents has an waves are transverse in nature.
important property of continuity i.e., the sum remains constant
along any closed path. ⃗ and 𝐁
(iii) The oscillations of 𝐄 ⃗⃗ fields are in same phase.

3. Maxwell's equations: These are as follows: (iv) All electromagnetic waves travel in free space with same speed
⃗ . ⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝐪 c given by
(i) Gauss law of electrostatics: 𝐄 𝐝𝐒 = 𝟏
𝛆𝟎
⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝟎
⃗⃗ . 𝐝𝐒 𝐜= ≃ 𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎𝟖 ms−𝟏
(ii) Gauss law of magnetism: ∮ 𝐁 √𝛍 𝟎 𝛆 𝟎
(iii) Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction: ⃗ . ⃗⃗⃗
∮ 𝐄
𝐝𝛟
𝐝𝐭
𝐝
𝐝𝐥 = − 𝐁 = − [∮ ⃗𝐁. ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐝𝐭
𝐝𝐒] In a material medium of refractive index n, the speed of an
𝐝𝛟
⃗ . ⃗⃗⃗
(iv) Modified Ampere's circuital law: ∮ ⃗𝐁 𝐝𝐥 == 𝛍𝟎 [𝐈𝐂 + 𝛆𝟎 𝐄] electromagnetic wave is given by
𝐝𝐭
𝟏 𝐜 𝐜
𝐯= = =
4. Electromagnetic wave: An electromagnetic wave is a wave √𝛍𝛆 √𝛍𝐫 𝛆𝐫 𝐧
radiated by an accelerated charge and which propagates through
(v) The ratio of the amplitudes of electric and magnetic fields is
space as coupled electric and magnetic fields, oscillating 𝐄𝟎 𝟏
perpendicular to each other and to the direction of propagation of =𝐜=
the wave. 𝐁𝟎 √𝛍𝟎 𝛆𝟎

5. Principle of production of electromagnetic waves: An (vi) The electromagnetic waves carry energy as they travel through
accelerated charge produces electric and magnetic fields, which space and this energy is shared equally by the electric and
vary both in space and time. The two oscillating fields act as magnetic fields. The average energy of an electromagnetic wave is
sources of each other and hence sustain each other. This results 𝟏 𝐁𝟐
𝐮 = 𝐮𝐄 + 𝐮𝐁 = [𝛆𝟎 𝐄𝟎𝟐 + 𝟎 ]
in the propagation of an electromagnetic wave through space. 𝟐 𝛍
6. Source of an electromagnetic wave: An accelerating charge 11. Momentum of an electromagnetic wave: If an electromagnetic
produces electromagnetic waves. An electric charge oscillating wave transfers a total energy U to a surface in time t, then total
𝐔
harmonically with frequency ν, generates electromagnetic waves of linear momentum delivered to the surface is p =
𝐜
the same frequency ν. An electric dipole is a basic source of
electromagnetic waves. 12. Intensity of an electromagnetic wave: The energy crossing per
An LC-circuit containing inductance L and capacitance C produces unit area per unit time in a direction perpendicular to the direction of
electromagnetic waves of frequency, propagation of the wave is called intensity of the wave.
𝟏 Energy/ time Power
𝛎= Intensity = =
𝟐𝛑√𝐋𝐂 Area Area

7. Mathematical representation of electromagnetic waves: For a For an e.m. wave of average energy density u, I = uc
𝟏
plane electromagnetic wave of frequency ν, wavelength λ, Also, I = ε0 E02 c = ε0 𝐄𝐫𝐦𝐬
𝟐
c
𝟐
propagating along x-axis, the electric and magnetic fields may be 𝟏 𝟏
and I = β02 c = 𝟐
𝐁𝐫𝐦𝐬 c
represented as follows: 𝟐µ𝟎 µ𝟎
𝐱 𝐱 𝐭
⃗ = 𝐄𝐲^𝐣 = 𝐄𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧(𝐤𝐱 − 𝛚𝐭)𝐣^ = 𝐄𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧 [𝟐𝛑 ( − 𝛎𝐭)] ^𝐣 = 𝐄𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧 [𝟐𝛑 ( − )] ^𝐣
𝐄
𝛌 𝛌 𝐓 13. Electromagnetic spectrum: The orderly distribution of the
Ex = Ez = 0 and electromagnetic waves in accordance with their wavelength or
𝐱 𝐱 𝐭
̂ = B0sin(kx - ωt)𝐤
⃗⃗ = Bz𝐤
𝐁 ̂ = 𝐁𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧 [𝟐𝛑 ( − 𝛎𝐭)] ^𝐤 = 𝐁𝟎 𝐬𝐢𝐧 [𝟐𝛑 ( − )] ^𝐤 frequency into distinct groups having widely differing properties is
𝛌 𝛌 𝐓
Bx = By = 0 called electromagnetic spectrum.
Here E0 and B0 are the amplitudes of the electric and magnetic The main parts of an electromagnetic spectrum in the order of
𝟐𝛑 𝛚
fields respectively. Propagation constant, 𝐤 = = . increasing wavelength from 10-2 Å or 10-12 m to 10-6 m are γ-rays,
𝛌 𝐜
X-rays, ultraviolet rays, visible light, infrared rays, microwaves and
8. Hertz's experiment: In 1888, Hertz succeeded in experimentally radio waves. The different parts of the e.m. spectrum differ in their
confirming the existence of electromagnetic waves. By using methods of production and detection.
oscillatory LC-circuits, he not only produced and detected
electromagnetic waves, but also demonstrated their properties of
reflection, refraction, interference and polarisation and established
beyond doubt that light radiation has wave nature. He was able to
produce e.m. waves of wavelength around 6 m.

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