Key Properties of electromagnetic waves
(Figure on right side)
𝑬𝑬 𝒚𝒚
𝑩𝑩 𝑬𝑬
𝑩𝑩 𝒙𝒙
𝒛𝒛
Derivation of the Electromagnetic Wave Equation
The displacement of any point in a mechanical wave traveling along the x-axis can be represented as y(x, t) must
satisfy a differential equation:
This equation is called the wave equation, and v is the speed of propagation of the wave
• To derive such wave equation for an
electromagnetic wave, we again consider a plane
wave. That is, we assume that at each instant, Ey and
Bz are uniform over any plane perpendicular to the x-
axis, the direction of propagation
• At the same time, Ey and Bz vary continuously as we
go along the x-axis; then each is a function of x and t
• We consider the values of Ey and Bz on two planes
perpendicular to the x-axis, one at x and one at x + Δx
Derivation of the Electromagnetic Wave Equation
• Consider a rectangular plane parallel to xy-plane and apply Faraday’s law for it
• Consider a rectangular plane parallel to xz-plane and apply Ampere’s law for it
Apply Faraday’s law to Apply Ampere’s law to
this rectangle efgh this rectangle efgh
Derivation of the electromagnetic wave equation
Apply Faraday’s law
• Let the left end gh of the rectangle be at position x, and the right end ef
be at position (x +Δx).
• At time t, the values of E on these two sides are Ey(x, t) and Ey(x +Δx, t),
respectively.
• When we apply Faraday’s law to the rectangle lying parallel to the xy-
plane
Derivation of the electromagnetic wave equation
Apply Faraday’s law
• To find the magnetic flux 𝚽𝚽B through this rectangle, we assume that Δx is small
enough that Bz is nearly uniform over the rectangle
• In that case 𝚽𝚽B = Bz(x, t)A = Bz(x, t)aΔx and
• Now equating the both side of the Faraday’s law, then we get
Derivation of the electromagnetic wave equation
Finally, imagine shrinking the rectangle down to a thin slice so that Δx approaches
zero. When we take the limit of this equation as Δx→0 , then we get
This equation shows that if there is a time-varying component Bz
of magnetic field, there must also be a component Ey of electric
field that varies with x, and conversely
Derivation of the electromagnetic wave equation
Apply Ampere’s law
• Now apply Ampere’s law to the rectangle shown in figure
• The rate of change of 𝚽𝚽E which we need for the Ampere’s
law is then
Derivation of the electromagnetic wave equation
Apply Ampere’s law
• Now equating the both side of the Faraday’s law, then we get
Divide both sides by a Δx and take the limit as Δx→0 , then we get
❷
Derivation of the electromagnetic wave equation
Faraday’s law Ampere’s law
❶ ❷
Take the partial derivatives of both sides Take the partial derivatives of both sides
of above equation with respect to x of above equation with respect to t
Combining these above two equations to eliminate Bz , we finally get
Derivation of the electromagnetic wave equation
This expression has the same form
as the general wave equation
• Because the electric field Ey must satisfy this equation, it behaves as a wave with a pattern that travels
through space with a definite speed.
• Furthermore, comparison of above both equations shows that the wave speed v is given by
• Inserting the numerical values of these quantities, we find
Energy in Electromagnetic Wave
𝒚𝒚
𝑬𝑬
𝑩𝑩 𝑬𝑬
𝑩𝑩 𝒙𝒙
𝒛𝒛
Energy in Electromagnetic Wave
• Electromagnetic waves carry energy; the energy in sunlight is a familiar example. Microwave ovens, radio
transmitters, and lasers for eye surgery all make use of this wave energy
• The total energy density u for the electric and magnetic field present in an empty space can be written as
• For electromagnetic waves in vacuum, the magnitudes E and B are related by
• By combining above both equations, the energy density u in a simple electromagnetic wave in vacuum as
• Because of the sinusoidal nature of the electromagnetic wave form, the electric field magnitude E is a
function of position and time
• Thus, the energy density u of an electromagnetic wave, given by above equation, also depends in general on
position and time
Poynting Vector
• Electromagnetic waves are traveling waves that transport energy from one region to another.
• The energy transfer by electromagnetic waves can be described in terms of energy transferred per unit time
per unit cross-sectional area, or power per unit area, for an area perpendicular to the direction of wave
travel
• To see how the energy flow is related to the fields, consider a stationary
plane, perpendicular to the x-axis, that coincides with the wave front at a
certain time.
• In a time dt after this, the wave front moves a distance dx = c dt to the right
of the plane.
• Consider an area A on this stationary plane (shown in figure). The energy in
the space to the right of this area had to pass through the area to reach the
new location.
• The volume dV of the relevant region is the base area A times the length c
dt, and the energy dU in this region is the energy density u times this
volume:
Poynting Vector
• This energy passes through the area A in time dt. The energy flow per unit time per unit area, which we will
call S, is
• We already know that
c = 1/ 𝜖𝜖𝑜𝑜𝜇𝜇𝑜𝑜, substitute this in
the above equation and we
get;
• The expressions for S are energy per unit time per unit area, or power per
unit area. The SI unit of S is 1 J/s.m2 or 1 W/m2
• We can define a vector quantity that describes both the magnitude and
direction of the energy flow rate. Introduced by the British physicist John
Poynting (1852–1914), this quantity is called the Poynting vector:
Intensity of electromagnetic wave in vacuum
𝑬𝑬
𝒚𝒚
𝑩𝑩
𝑬𝑬
𝑩𝑩
𝒛𝒛 𝒙𝒙
Intensity of electromagnetic wave in vacuum
The vector product of the unit vectors is 𝚥𝚥̂ × 𝑘𝑘� = 𝚤𝚤̂ and cos2(kx
– ωt) is never negative, so 𝑺𝑺(x, t) always points in the positive
x-direction (the direction of wave propagation). The x-
component of the Poynting vector is
The time average value of cos2(kx – vt) is zero because at any point, it is positive during one half-cycle and
negative during the other half. So, the average value of the Poynting vector over a full cycle is 𝑆𝑆⃗𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 = 𝚤𝚤𝑆𝑆
̂ 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
That is, the magnitude of the average value of 𝑆𝑆⃗ ,for a sinusoidal wave (the intensity I of the wave) is the half the
maximum value.
Intensity of electromagnetic wave in vacuum
Thank You
&
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