DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL BOPAL, AHMEDABAD

PHYSICS ASSIGNMENT 2023-24

CLASS XII CHAPTER - 8

Electromagnetic Waves

MCQs
1. The electromagnetic waves in the range of wavelengths from 3 mm to 100 cm are used for the purpose
of satellite communication. The range of frequencies corresponding to this range of wavelengths
is .......... .
(A) 30 MHz to 104 MHz, (B) 300 MHz to 105 MHz,
(C) 3 MHz to 3 x 108 MHz (D) 3 MHz to 106 MHz

2. Astronomers have found that the electromagnetic waves of wavelength 21 cm are continuously
reaching the Earth's surface. The frequency of this radiation is……
(A) 1.43 GHz (B) 1.43 MHz (C) 1.43 kHz (D) 1.43 Hz

3. If vϒ,vx,vmare the velocities of the ϒ-rays, X-rays and microwaves respectively in vacuum,
then……….
(A) vϒ > vx > vm (B) vϒ <vx < vm
(C) vx > vm > vϒ, (D) vϒ = vx = vm

4. If µr be relative permeability and K be dielectric constant of a given medium, then the refractive
index of the medium is n = .......... .

5. The maximum value of E in an electromagnetic wave is equal to 18 v/m. The maximum value of
B is …….

(A) 3 x 10-6 T (B) 6 x 10-8 T (C) 9 x 10-9 T (D) 2 x 10-10 T

6. An electromagnetic wave passing through the space is given by equations, E = Eo Sin(ωt - kx) and
B = Bo Sin(ωt - kx). Which one is true?

(A) Eo Bo = ωk (B) Eoω = Bok (C) Eok = Bow (D) (Eo / Bo) = 1/ ωk
7. A plane electromagnetic wave is travelling along the X-direction. The electric field vector at an arbitrary
point at a time is E = 6.3 j V/m. The magnetic field is at that time at that point is ……….

(A) u2.1x10-8 k T ,(B) -2.1x10-8 k T (C) 6.3 k T (D) -6.3 k T.

8. Two opposite charged particles oscillate about their mean equilibrium position in free space, with a
frequency of 109 Hz. The wavelength of the corresponding electromagnetic wave produced is …….
(A) 0.3 m, (B) 3 x107 m (C) 109m, (D) 3.3 m

9. The wavelengths 5890 Ǻ and 5896 Ǻ of sodium doublet correspond to ……. region of the
electromagnetic spectrum.

(A) infrared, (B) visible light (C) ultraviolet (D) microwave

10. The frequency of an electromagnetic wave in free space is 2 MHz. When it passes through a region
of relative permittivity Er = 4.0, then its wavelength .......... and frequency …….
(A) becomes double, becomes half, (B) becomes double, remains constant,
(C) becomes half, becomes double (D) becomes half, remains constant .

11. The rms value of electric field of the radiation coming from the Sun is 720 N/C. The average
radiation density is .......... J/m3.
(A) 81.35 x 10-12, (B) 3.3 x 10-3, (C) 4.58 x 10-6, (D) 6.37 x 10-9

12. In the region closer to the oscillating charges, the phase difference between E and B fields
is .........., and their magnitude quickly decreases as .......... with distance r from the source.

(A) 0, (1/r) (B) (π/2), (1/r-3), (C) (π/2), (1/r) (D) 0, (1/r-3)

13. At large distances from the source, E and B are in phase and the decrease in their magnitude is
comparatively slower with distance r as per .........., and these components are called ..........
components.

(A) (1/r3), inductive, (B) (1/r), radiated, (C) (1/r3), radiated, (D) (1/r), inductive.

14. At room temperature, if the relative permittivity of water be 80, and the relative
permeability be 0.0222, then the velocity of light in water is ..........• m/s.
(A) 3 x 108, (B) 2.5 x 108, (C) 2.25 x 108, (D) 3.5 x 108.
15. If the electric field associated with a radiation of frequency 10 MHz is

E = 10 sin(kx – ω t)mV/m. then its energy density is .......... J/ m3 (εo =8.85 x 10-12 C2N-1m-2).

(A) 4.425 x 10 - 12, (B) 6.26 x 10 - 14, (C) 8.85 x 10 - 16, (D) 8.85 x 10 - 14.

16. An electromagnetic wave coming from infinity, enters a medium from the

vacuum. For this wave .......... is independent of the medium. [will not change in
the medium].
 (A) ω, (B) k, (C) ω / k, (D) λ

17. For a radiation of 6 GHz passing through air, the wave number (number of

waves) per 1 m length is .......... (1 GHz = 109 Hz).

(A) 3, (B) 5, (C) 20, (D) 30

18. In Hertz's experiment the .......... of the electromagnetic waves is equal to the
kinetic energy of the charges oscillating between the two spheres.
(A) frequency, (B) energy, (C) wave-length, (D) velocity.

19. The intensity of a plane electromagnetic wave with B0 = 1.0 x 10-4 T is .......... W/m2.
(Hint: use value of speed of light and permeability in vacuum).
(A) 2.38 x 106 (B) 1.19 x 106 (C) 6 x 105 (D) 4.76 x 106

20. The wave-length, frequency and velocity of monochromatic in a vacuum are λ, f, and c. What
are the value in glass if its refractive index is n? They are ……, ..….. and ……. respectively.
(A) λ/n, f and c/n (B) nλ, f and c/n (C) nλ, f and c (D) nλ, f/n and c.

Answer

1. (B) 2. (A) 3. (D) 4. (A) 5. (B) 6.(C)

7. ( 8. (A) 9. (B 10 (D 1 (C 12. (B)

) . ) 1 )
.
1 ( 14. (C) 15 (A 16 (A 17 (C 18. (B)
. ) . ) . )
1 ( 20 (A)
 Level : 1
1. The charging current for a capacitor is 0.25 A. What is the displacement current?

2. A capacitor of capacitance C, is being charged by a DC source of voltage ‘V’. How do the

conduction and displacement currents, in this set-up compare with each other (a) during the
charging process and (b) after the capacitor gets fully charged.

3. State the principal of production of EM waves. What are the values of velocity of these waves.
4. A plane EM wave travels along X- axis in Vacuum. What can you say about the directions of
electric and magnetic fields?
5. Name the EM waves that have frequencies greater than UV waves but less than Gamma rays.
6. Arrange the following in descending order of wavelength and give 2 uses of each: X rays, Radio
waves, UV rays, Microwaves, gamma rays, Infra-red waves.
7. State the reason why microwaves are used to heat food items in microwave ovens.
8. Give one use of each ?
a) Microwave b) Infrared wave c) Ultraviolet radiations
d) radiowaves e) X-ray d) Ƴ- ray

Level :2
1. Give reason: (a) Optical and radio telescopes are built on the ground while X-ray astronomy is
possible only from satellites orbiting the earth. (b) The small ozone layer on top of the
stratosphere is crucial for human survival. Why?
2.The oscillating magnetic field in a plane EM wave is given by
. (i) Calculate
the wavelength of the EM wave, (ii) Write the expression for oscillating electric field.
3. EM radiations with wavelength (i) λ1 are used to kill germs in water purifier, (ii) λ2 are used in
TV communication systems, and (iii) λ3 play an important role in maintaining earth’s
temperature. Name the part of EM spectrum to which these radiations belong. Arrange these
wavelengths in decreasing order of their magnitude.
4. Draw a sketch of a plane electromagnetic wave propagating along z-direction with the
oscillating electric field E along the x-direction and the oscillating magnetic field B along y-
direction.
5. A plane electromagnetic wave of frequency 25 MHz travels in free space along the x direction.
At a particular point in space and time, = 6.3 V/m. What is at this point ?
6. In a plane electromagnetic wave, the electric field varies with time having an amplitude 1V/m. The
frequency of wave is 0.5 x 10 15 Hz. The waves is propagating along z axis. What is the average energy
density of (i) electric field (ii) magnetic field (iii) total field and (iv) what is the amplitude of magnetic
field ?
 Level:3
1. When an ideal cacitor is charged by a DC battery, no current flows. However, when an ac source
is used, the current flows continuously. How does one explain this based on the concept of
displacement current.
2. A variable frequency AC source is connected to a capacitor. How will the displacement current
change with decrease in frequency?
3. Two students A and b prepare the following table about the EM waves. Rewrite the table in its
correct form:

Student Direction of Peak Value of

Electric Magnetic Propagation Electric Magnetic

Field Field Field Field

A Along X- Along X- Along Y-axis E B=cE

axis axis

B Along Y- Along Z- Along X-axis E=cB B

axis axis

4. The voltage between the plates of a parallel – plate capacitor of capacitance 1.0μF is changing
at the rate of 5 Vs-1. What is the displacement current?
5. One requires 11 eV of energy to dissociate a carbon monoxide molecule into carbon and
oxygen atoms. The minimum frequency of the appropriate electromagnetic radiation to achieve
the dissociation lies in :
(a) visible region (b) infrared region (c) ultraviolet region (d) microwave region
6. The electric field intensity produced by the radiations coming from 100 W bulb at a 3 m
distance is E. Find the electric field intensity produced by the radiations coming from 50 W bulb
at the same distance.
7. Show that the radiation pressure exerted by an EM wave of intensity I on a surface kept in a
vacuum is I/C.

****************************************************************************Past
Years Board Questions

1. 𝐸⃗ and 𝐵⃗ represent the electric and the magnetic field of an electromagnetic wave respectively.
The direction of propagation of the wave is along. (1M, AI2023)

a. 𝐵⃗
b. 𝐸⃗
c. 𝐸⃗ ×𝐵⃗
d. 𝐵⃗ ×𝐸⃗
Answer (c)

2. A beam of light travels from air into a medium. Its speed and wavelength in the medium are
1.5×108𝑚𝑠−1 and 230 𝑛𝑚 respectively. The wavelength of light in air will be. (1M, AI2023)

a. 230 𝑛𝑚
b. 345 𝑛𝑚
c. 460 𝑛𝑚
d. 690 𝑛𝑚
Answer (c)

3. How are infrared waves produced? Why are these waves referred to as heat waves? Give any two uses of
infrared waves. (2M, AI2023)

4. How are X-rays produced? Give any two uses of these. (2M, AI2023)

5. Write the mathematical form of Ampere-Maxwell circuital law. (1M, AI2020)

6. (a)Write the expression for the speed of light in a material medium of relative permittivity εr and
relative magnetic permeability μr.
(b) Write the wavelength range and name of the electromagnetic waves which are used in (i)
radar systems for aircraft navigation, and (ii) Earth satellites to observe the growth of the
crops. (3M, AI2020)

7. (a) Identify the part of the electromagnetic spectrum used in (i) radar and (ii) eye
surgery. Write their frequency range.
(b) Prove that the average energy density of the oscillating electric field is equal to
that of the oscillating magnetic field. (3M, AI2019)

8. (a) Give one use of electromagnetic radiations obtained in nuclear disintegrations.

(b) Give one example each to illustrate the situation where there is (i) displacement current but no
conduction current and (ii) only conduction current but no displacement current. (2M, AI2018)

9. Mrs. Rajlakshmi had a sudden fall and was thereafter unable to stand straight. She was
in great pain. Her daughter Rita took her to the doctor. The doctor took a photograph
of Mrs. Rajlakshmi’s bones and found that she had suffered a fracture. He advised her
to rest and take the required treatment.
(a) Name the electromagnetic radiation used to take photograph of the bones.
(b) How is this radiation produced?
(c) Mention the range of the wavelength of this electromagnetic radiation.
(d) Write two values displayed by Rita. (Value Based Case, 4M, AI2018)

10. Do electromagnetic waves carry energy and momentum ? (1M, AI2017)

11. Identify the electromagnetic waves whose wavelengths vary as

(a) 10–12 m < λ < 10–8 m and (b) 10–3 m < λ < 10–1 m . Write one use for each. (2M, AI2017).

12. Why are microwaves considered suitable for radar systems used in aircraft
navigation? (1M, AI2016)
13. How are em waves produced by oscillating charges ? Draw a sketch of linearly polarized em
waves propagating in the Z-direction. Indicate the directions of the oscillating electric and
magnetic fields. (2M, AI2016)

14. Write Maxwell’s generalization of Ampere’s Circuital Law. Show that in the process
of charging a capacitor, the current produced within the plates of the capacitor is

where ΦE is the electric flux produced during the charging of the capacitor plates. (2M, AI2016)

15. Name the parts of the electromagnetic spectrum which is,

(a) suitable for radar systems used in aircraft navigation.
(b) used to treat muscular strain.
(c) used as a diagnostic tool in medicine.
Write in brief, how these waves can be produced. (3M, AI2015)