Electromagnetic Wave:

Properties
A travelling field

An infinite sheet of
charge is suddenly
set into motion
parallel to itself.
There are magnetic
and electric fields
that propagate out
from the sheet at a
constant speed.
(a)The magnitude of
B(or E) as a function
of x at time t after
the charge sheet is
set in motion. (b) The
fields for a charge
sheet set in motion,
toward negative y at
t = T. (c) The sum of
(a) and (b).
 Plane Electromagnetic Wave
A travelling field
• Imagine that all space is
divided into two regions
separated by a plane
perpendicular to the x-axis.
• At every point to the left of
this plane there are uniform
electric field magnetic fields
as shown.
• The boundary plane, which
we call the wave front, moves
in the +x-direction with a
constant speed c.
 Gauss’s laws and the simple plane wave
• Consider a Gaussian
surface of a rectangular
box, through which the
simple plane wave is
traveling.
• The box encloses no
electric charge.
• In order to satisfy Maxwell’s
first and second equations,
the electric and magnetic
fields must be
perpendicular to the
direction of propagation;
that is, the wave must be
transverse.
 Faraday’s laws and the simple plane wave

• The simple plane wave must satisfy

Faraday’s law in a vacuum.
• In a time dt, the magnetic flux through
the rectangle in the xy-plane increases
by an amount dΦB.
• This increase equals the flux through
the shaded rectangle with area ac dt;
that is, dΦB = Bac dt.
• Thus dΦB/dt = Bac.
 Ampere’s laws and the simple plane wave

• The simple plane wave must satisfy

Ampere’s law in a vacuum.
• In a time dt, the electric flux through
the rectangle in the xz-plane increases
by an amount dΦE.
• This increase equals the flux through
the shaded rectangle with area ac dt;
that is, dΦE = Eac dt.
• Thus dΦE/dt = Eac. This implies:
 Properties of electromagnetic waves
• Maxwell’s equations imply that in an electromagnetic wave, both
the electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to the direction of
propagation of the wave, and to each other.
• In an electromagnetic wave, there is a definite ratio between the
magnitudes of the electric and magnetic fields: E = cB.
• Unlike mechanical waves, electromagnetic waves require no
medium. In fact, they travel in vacuum with a definite and unchanging
speed:

• Inserting the numerical values of these constants, we obtain

c = 3.00 × 108 m/s.
Electromagnetic waves: orientation of fields
Electromagnetic Wave Equation:
Solutions
Classes of solution to wave equation
# A plane wave satisfies wave
equation in Cartesian coordinates
# A spherical wave satisfies wave
equation in spherical polar
coordinates
# A cylindrical wave satisfies wave
equation in cylindrical coordinates
 Solution of 3D wave equation:
Plane Wave
In Cartesian coordinates
2 2 2 2
2
𝜕 𝜓 𝜕 𝜓 𝜕 𝜓 1 𝜕 𝜓
𝛻 𝜓= 2
+ 2+ 2 = 2 2
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝑐 𝜕𝑡

Separation of variables
𝜓 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡 = 𝑋 𝑥 𝑌 𝑦 𝑍 𝑧 𝑇 𝑡

Substituting for ψ we obtain

1 𝜕2𝑋 1 𝜕2𝑌 1 𝜕2𝑍 1 1 𝜕2𝑇
+ + =
𝑋 𝜕𝑥 2 𝑌 𝜕𝑦 2 𝑍 𝜕𝑧 2 𝑐 2 𝑇 𝜕𝑡 2
 We take the following form of X(x), Y(y), Z(z) and T(t)

1 𝜕2𝑋 2;
1 𝜕 2𝑌
2;
= −𝑘 𝑥 = −𝑘 𝑦
So we may write 𝑋 𝜕𝑥 2 𝑌 𝜕𝑦 2
1 𝜕2𝑍 2;
1 𝜕 2𝑇
2
= −𝑘 𝑧 = −𝜔
𝑍 𝜕𝑧 2 𝑇 𝜕𝑡 2
where we use

𝜔2 Τ𝑐 2 = 𝑘𝑥2 + 𝑘𝑦2 + 𝑘𝑧2 = 𝑘 2

 Solutions are then

𝑋 𝑥 = 𝑒 ±ik 𝑥 𝑥 ; 𝑌 𝑦 = 𝑒 ±ik𝑦 𝑦 ;
𝑍 𝑧 = 𝑒 ±ik𝑧 𝑧 ; 𝑇 𝑡 = 𝑒 ±𝑖𝜔𝑡

Total Solution is
Properties of Plane EM waves
Wave vector k is perpendicular to E
 Similarly

Wave vector k is perpendicular to B

B is perpendicular to E
B, k and E make a right handed Cartesian co-ordinate system
Plane EM waves in vacuum