Lecture-2

Electromagnetic wave propagation: Wave

propagation in lossy dielectrics, plane waves in
lossless dielectrics, plane wave in free space,
plain waves in good conductors, power and the
pointing vector, reflection of a plain wave in a
normal incidence.

Pradeep Singla
 Electromagnetic waves
For the electric field E,

   
   
    E     E   E   E
2 2


 
   E
2
   B    o
t t 2

or,

  E 2
 E   o 2  0
2

t
o
2 = 1/µ
i.e. wave equation with vPradeep Singla
 Electromagnetic waves

  B2
Similarly for the magnetic field  B   o 2  0
2

t

i.e. wave equation with v2 = 1/µo

In free space,  =  o = o ( = 1)

1
c c = 3.0 X 108 m/s

 o o
Pradeep Singla
 Electromagnetic waves

In a dielectric medium,  = n2 and  =   o = n2  o

1 c 1
v  
 o n  o o n

Pradeep Singla
 Electromagnetic waves: Phase relations
The solutions to the wave equations,

 
  E 2   B
2
 E   o
2
0  B   o
2
0
t 2
t 2

can be plane waves,

  i k r t 

E  Eo e
  i k r t  
B  Bo e
Pradeep Singla
 Electromagnetic waves: Phase relations

• Using plane wave

solutions one finds that, • Consequently 
 B
 E  
t
 
  
 E  i k  E
or ,
and ,   

B  k  E  B
 iB
t i.e. B is perpendicular to the
Plane formed by k and E !!

Pradeep Singla
 Electromagnetic waves: Phase relations
• Since also
     
  E  ik  E  0   B  ik  B  0
• k  E and k  B ( transverse wave)
• Thus, k, E and B are mutually perpendicular vectors
• Moreover,
   
ˆ  BB
k E  k E B ˆ

Pradeep Singla
 Electromagnetic waves: Phase relations
Thus E and B are in phase since,

   cB e  
   
i k r t i k r t 
Eo e o
requires that

e i
 1   0,2 ,...
E

k
B

Pradeep Singla
Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves, but are
not mechanical waves (they need no medium to vibrate
in).
Therefore, electromagnetic waves can propagate in
free space.

At any point, the magnitudes of E and B (of the wave

shown) depend only upon x and t, and not on y or z.
A collection of such waves is called a plane wave.

x direction of
propagation
z

Pradeep Singla
Manipulation of Maxwell’s equations leads to the
following plane wave equations for E and B:
 2E y  2E y (x,t)  2B z  2B z (x,t)
2
= 0 0 = 0 0
x t 2 x 2
t 2

These equations have solutions:

Ey =Emax sin kx - t  Emax and Bmax are
the electric and
Bz =Bmax sin kx - t 
magnetic field
amplitudes

2 
where k= ,  = 2f , and f = = c.
 k
You can verify this by direct substitution.

Emax and Bmax in these notes are Pradeep

sometimes
Singla
written by others as E0 and B0.
You can also show that

E y B z
=-
x t

Emax k cos kx - t  =Bmax  cos kx - t 

Emax E  1
= = =c= .
Bmax B k 0 0

At every instant, the ratio of the magnitude of the

electric field to the magnitude of the magnetic field in
an electromagnetic wave equals the speed of light.
Pradeep Singla
Summary of Important Properties of Electromagnetic
Waves
The solutions of Maxwell’s equations are wave-like
with both E and B satisfying a wave equation.
Ey =Emax sin kx - t 

Bz =Bmax sin kx - t 

Electromagnetic waves travel through empty space

with the speed of light c = 1/(00)½.

Emax and Bmax are the electric and magnetic field

amplitudes. Pradeep Singla
Summary of Important Properties of Electromagnetic
Waves
The components of the electric and magnetic fields of
plane EM waves are perpendicular to each other and
perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. The
latter property says that EM waves are transverse
waves.
y

x direction of
propagation
z

The magnitudes of E and B in empty space are related

by
Emax E 
E/B = c. = = =c
Bmax B k
Pradeep Singla
Energy Carried by Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic waves carry energy, and as they

propagate through space they can transfer energy to
objects in their path. The rate of flow of energy in an
electromagnetic wave is described by a vector S, called
the Poynting vector.*  1  
S = E B
0

The magnitude S represents the rate at which energy

flows through a unit surface area perpendicular to the
direction of wave propagation.

Thus, S represents power per unit area. The direction of

S is along the direction of wave propagation. The units
of S are J/(s·m2) =W/m2.
Pradeep Singla
  
For an EM waveE  B =EB
y  1   EB
S = E B so S = .
0 0

E
S
x
B c Because B = E/c we can write
z E2 cB 2
S= = .
0 c 0

These equations for S apply at any instant of time and

represent the instantaneous rate at which energy is
passing through a unit area.
Pradeep Singla
 EB E2 cB 2
S= = =
0 0 c 0

Ey =Emax sin kx - t 

EM waves are sinusoidal.
Bz =Bmax sin kx - t 

The average of S over one or more cycles is called the

wave intensity I.

The time average of sin2(kx - t) is ½, so

2 2
EmaxBmax Emax cBmax
I = Saverage = S = = =
20 20 c 20

Pradeep Singla
The magnitude of S is the rate at which energy is
transported by a wave across a unit area at any
instant:
 energy 
 time   power 
S= = 
 area 
  area instantaneous
 instantaneous

Thus,

 energy 
 time   power 
I= S = = 
 area   area average
 average

Note: Saverage andPradeep

<S> mean
Singla
the same thing!
Energy Density

The energy densities (energy per unit volume)

associated with electric field and magnetic fields are:
1 1 B2
uE = 0E2 uB =
2 2 0

Using B = E/c and c = 1/(00)½ we can write

 
2
E
1 B2 1 c 1 0 0E2 1
uB = = = = 0E2
2 0 2 0 2 0 2

1 2 1 B2
uB = uE = 0E =
2 2 0
Pradeep Singla
 1 2 1 B2
uB = uE = 0E =
2 2 0

For an electromagnetic wave, the instantaneous energy

density associated with the magnetic field equals the
instantaneous energy density associated with the
electric field.

Hence, in a given volume the energy is equally shared

by the two fields. The total energy density is equal to
the sum of the energy densities associated with the
electric and magnetic fields:
2 B2
u = uB +uE = 0E =
0

Pradeep Singla
 2
B
u = uB +uE = 0E2 =
0
When we average this instantaneous energy density
over one or more cycles of an electromagnetic wave,
we again get a factor of ½ from the time average of
sin2(kx - t).
2
1 1 Bmax 1 1 B 2
2
uE = 0Emax , uB = , and 2
u = 0Emax = max
4 4 0 2 2 0

2 2
1 Emax 1 cBmax
Recall Saverage = S = = so we see thatS = c u .
2 0 c 2 0

The intensity of an electromagnetic wave equals the

average energy density multiplied by the speed of light.
Pradeep Singla
 Example: a radio station on the surface of the earth
radiates a sinusoidal wave with an average total power
of 50 kW. Assuming the wave is radiated equally in all
directions above the ground, find the amplitude of the
electric and magnetic fields detected by a satellite 100
km from the antenna.
All the radiated power passes Satellite
through the hemispherical
R
surface* so the average power
per unit area (the intensity) is
Station

 power 
I= =
P
=
 5.00 10 W  4

= 7.96 10-7 W m2

2 1.00 10 m
2 2
 area average 2R 5

Pradeep Singla
 2
1 Emax Satellite
I= S =
2 0 c R

Emax = 20 cI Station

= 2  410-7  3 108  7.96 10-7 

= 2.45 10-2 V
m

Bmax =
Emax
=
 2.45 10-2 V 
m = 8.17 10-11 T
c  3  10 8
m s

Pradeep Singla
Example: for the radio station in the example on the
previous two slides, calculate the average energy
densities associated with the electric and magnetic
field.
2
1 2 1 B
uE = 0Emax uB = max
4 4 0

1  8.17 10 
-11 2
1
uE =  8.85 10  2.45 10 
-12 -2 2
uB =
4 4  4 10-7 

-15 J -15 J
uE =1.33 10 uB =1.33 10
m3 m3

Pradeep Singla
Momentum and Radiation Pressure

EM waves carry linear momentum as well as energy.

When this momentum is absorbed at a surface pressure
is exerted on that surface.
If we assume that EM radiation is incident on an object
for a time t and that the radiation is entirely absorbed
by the object, then the object gains energy U in time
t.
Maxwell showed that the momentum
change of the object is then: incident
U
p = (total absorption)
c
The direction of the momentum change of the object is
in the direction of the incident radiation.
Pradeep Singla
If instead of being totally absorbed the radiation is
totally reflected by the object, and the reflection is
along the incident path, then the magnitude of the
momentum change of the object is twice that for total
absorption.

incident

reflected

2U
p = (total reflection along incident path)
c

The direction of the momentum change of the object is

again in the direction of the incident radiation.
Pradeep Singla
Radiation Pressure

The radiation pressure on the object is defined as the

force per unit area: F
P=
A
F 1 dp
From Newton’s 2nd Law (F = dp/dt) we P = =
have: A A dt
U
p =
For total absorption,
c
incident
dU
1 dp 1 d  U  1  dt  S
So P = =  = =
A dt A dt  c  c  A  c
 

(Equations on this slide involve magnitudes of vector quantities.)

Pradeep Singla
This is the instantaneous radiation pressure in the case
of total absorption:
S
P=
c

For the average radiation pressure, replace S by

<S>=Savg=I: Saverage I
Prad = =
c c

Electromagnetic waves also carry momentum through

space with a momentum density of Saverage/c2=I/c2. This
is not on your equation sheet but you have special
permission to use it in tomorrow’s homework, if
necessary. Pradeep Singla
 I incident
Prad = (total absorption)
c

Following similar arguments it can be shown that:

2I incident
Prad = (total reflection)
c
reflected

Pradeep Singla
 Example: a satellite orbiting the earth has solar energy
collection panels with a total area of 4.0 m2. If the
sun’s radiation is incident perpendicular to the panels
and is completely absorbed find the average solar
power absorbed and the average force associated with
the radiation pressure. The intensity (I or Saverage) of
sunlight prior to passing through the earth’s
atmosphere is 1.4 kW/m2.
 
Power = IA = 1.4 103 W 2  4.0 m2  = 5.6 103 W = 5.6 kW
m

Assuming total absorption of the radiation:

Prad =
Saverage I
= =

1.4 103 W 
m2 = 4.7 10-6 Pa
c c  3 108 m
s 

F =Prad A = 4.7 10-6 N
m2   4.0 m2
 =1.9  10
Pradeep Singla
-5
N
New starting equations from this lecture:
 1   2
1 Emax 2
1 cBmax
S = E B Saverage = =
0 2 0 c 2 0

Emax E 1 1 2 1 B2
= =c= uB = uE = 0E =
Bmax B 0 0 2 2 0

2
2  1 2 1 B
k = ,  = 2f , f = = c u = 0Emax = max

 k 2 2 0

U 2U I 2I
p = or Prad = or
c c c c

There are even more on your starting equation sheet; they are derived from the
above! Pradeep Singla
Electromagnetic waves:
Interact with matter in four ways:
Reflection:

Refraction:

Pradeep Singla
Scattering:

Diffraction:

Pradeep Singla