Electromagnetic Waves

We have some difficulty visualizing a wave consisting only of electric and magnetic fields. However, if we plot the strength of $\Vec{E}$ along one axis and the strength of $\Vec{B}$ along another (perpendicular) axis, as in Fig. 14.7, then the direction of propagation $\Hat{k}$ will be perpendicular to both $\Vec{E}$ and $\Vec{B}$ , as shown.

**Figure:** A linearly polarized electromagnetic wave. The electric and magnetic fields $\Vec{E}$ and $\Vec{B}$ are mutually perpendicular and both are perpendicular to the direction of propagation $\Hat{k}$ ( $\Vec{k}$ is the *wave vector*).
$\begin{figure} \begin{center}\mbox{ \epsfig{file=PS/EMwave.ps,height=1.0in} % }\end{center}\end{figure}$

Polarization
The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Jess H. Brewer
1998-11-06