NATURE OF EM RADIATION

Question 1

Describe the source of electromagnetic waves.

Answer 1

An accelerating charge.

Question 2

(Dont stress, its sounds hectic, its not.)

Explain how an EM wave spreads when an
electric field oscillating in one plane produces a magnetic field oscillating in a
plane at right angles to it, which produces an oscillating electric field, and so on.

Answer 2

Electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum.

Sometimes we consider the electromagnetic spectrum to consist only of energy and sometimes we consider them to consist of particles, called photons.

The wave nature of light allows us to explain some concepts of light, such as diffraction, interference and polarization. The particle nature of light helps us to explain other concepts, such as the photoelectric effect and spectral lines.

Question 3

State how fast these mutually regenerating fields travel through space.

Answer 3

3 x108 m.s-1

Question 4

The speed of light in equations is written as what?

Answer 4

c (from “celerity” meaning swift or quick

Question 5

How do you work out the speed of light?

Answer 5

speed of light = frequency × wavelength (c = f × λ)