Energy in Electromagnetic Waves Quiz

PDF page 1178: A wave’s energy is proportional to its amplitude squared ( or ). This is true for waves on guitar strings, for

PDF page 1177: FIGURE 24.22 Energy carried by a wave is proportional to its amplitude squared. With electromagnetic waves, larger -fields and -fields

PDF page 1177: electromagnetic field, as well as its peak electric and magnetic field strengths Anyone who has used a microwave oven knows there is energy in electromagnetic waves. Sometimes this energy is obvious, such as in the warmth of the summer sun. Other times it is subtle, such as the unfelt energy of gamma rays, which can destroy living cells. Electromagnetic waves can bring energy into a system by virtue of their electric and magnetic fields. These fields can exert forces and move charges in the system and, thus, do work on them. If the frequency of the electromagnetic wave is the same as the natural frequencies of the system (such as microwaves at the resonant frequency of water molecules), the transfer of energy is much more efficient.

PDF page 1177: exert larger forces and can do more work. But there is energy in an electromagnetic wave, whether it is absorbed or not. Once created, the fields carry energy away from a source. If absorbed, the field strengths are diminished and anything left travels on. Clearly, the larger the strength of the electric and magnetic fields, the more work they can do and the greater the energy the

PDF page 1178: Whichever of the three preceding equations is most convenient can be used, since they are really just different versions of the same principle: Energy in a wave is related to amplitude squared. Furthermore, since these equations are based on the assumption that the electromagnetic waves are sinusoidal, peak intensity is twice the average; that is, .

PDF page 1178: Note that the peak intensity is twice the average:

PDF page 1178: where is the speed of light, is the permittivity of free space, and is the maximum electric field strength; intensity, as always, is power per unit area (here in ). The average intensity of an electromagnetic wave can also be expressed in terms of the magnetic field strength by using the relationship , and the fact that , where is the permeability of free space. Algebraic manipulation produces the relationship

PDF page 1177: exert larger forces and can do more work. But there is energy in an electromagnetic wave, whether it is absorbed or not. Once created, the fields carry energy away from a source. If absorbed, the field strengths are diminished and anything left travels on. Clearly, the larger the strength of the electric and magnetic fields, the more work they can do and the greater the energy the

PDF page 1178: On its highest power setting, a certain microwave oven projects 1.00 kW of microwaves onto a 30.0 by 40.0 cm area.

PDF page 1178: On its highest power setting, a certain microwave oven projects 1.00 kW of microwaves onto a 30.0 by 40.0 cm area.

PDF page 1178: ? (b) Calculate the peak electric field strength in these waves. (c) What is the peak magnetic field strength ? Strategy In part (a), we can find intensity from its definition as power per unit area. Once the intensity is known, we can use the equations below to find the field strengths asked for in parts (b) and (c). Solution for (a) Entering the given power into the definition of intensity, and noting the area is 0.300 by 0.400 m, yields

PDF page 1179: Discussion As before, a relatively strong electric field is accompanied by a relatively weak magnetic field in an electromagnetic wave, since , and is a large number.

PDF page 1177: The behavior of electromagnetic radiation clearly exhibits wave characteristics. But we shall find in later modules that at high frequencies, electromagnetic radiation also exhibits particle characteristics. These particle characteristics will be used to explain more of the properties of the electromagnetic spectrum and to introduce the formal study of modern physics. Another startling discovery of modern physics is that particles, such as electrons and protons, exhibit wave characteristics. This simultaneous sharing of wave and particle properties for all submicroscopic entities is one of the great symmetries in nature.

PDF page 1178: Whichever of the three preceding equations is most convenient can be used, since they are really just different versions of the same principle: Energy in a wave is related to amplitude squared. Furthermore, since these equations are based on the assumption that the electromagnetic waves are sinusoidal, peak intensity is twice the average; that is, .

PDF page 1178: A wave’s energy is proportional to its amplitude squared ( or ). This is true for waves on guitar strings, for