Electromagnetic Waves

Class: XII
NCERT
Page number 274 to 283
Maxwell’s Equations:

Electromagnetic Waves:
The electromagnetic waves are those
waves in which there are sinusoidal variation of electric and
magnetic field vectors at right angles to each other as well as
at right angles to the direction of wave propagation.

Figure 8.4 ncert

The electric vector

E= E y ˆj =
Eo sin(kx − ω t ) ˆj , Ex = Ez = 0

The magnetic vector B = Bz kˆ =
Bo sin(kx − ω t )kˆ, Bx = Bz = 0

Sources of Electromagnetic Waves:

(1) An accelerating charge (2) An electric dipole (3) An LC circuit
Properties of EM waves:
1. The em waves are produced by accelerated or charges oscillating charge.
2. These waves do not require any material medium for propagation.
 
3. The directions of oscillations of E & B field are perpendicular to each other as well as
perpendicular to the directions of propagation of wave. So e.m. waves are transverse in
nature.
 
4. The oscillations of E & B fields are in same phase.
1
5. All e.m. waves travel in free space with the same= speed c  3 × 108 m / s & in
µo ∈o
1 c c
material medium
= v = = n-refractive index of the medium.
µ∈ µ r ∈r n
Eo 1
6. The amplitude ratio of electric & magnetic field is = c=
Bo µo ∈o
7. The e.m. waves carry energy as they travel throw space & this energy is shared equally
by electric & magnetic fields. The average energy density of e.m. waves in
1 2 B02 
u = uE + uB = ∈o Eo + 
2 µo 
8. The electric vector is responsible for the optical effect of an em wave & is called light
vector
[as E0>>B0]
9. The e.m. waves being uncharged are not deflected by electric & magnetic field.
10. E.m. waves show the properties of reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction &
polarization.
11. The e.m. waves carry energy which is divided equally between electric & magnetic field
vectors.
u
12. E.m. waves transport linear momentum as they travel through space p = ( Energy )
C
13.EM waves carry energy and momentum.. As they carry energy and momentum,
they exert pressure. Thus EM waves also exert pressure generally
Electromagnetic spectra

Figure 8.5 ncert

 QI MCQ on e.m waves

1. The electromagnetic wave used to treat muscular pain is:

(a) VHF radio waves (b) X-rays (c) Ultraviolet rays (d) Infrared radiations

2. Among the four, the highest wavelength is of

a. radio waves b. infrared c. ultraviolet d. gamma ray

3. Electromagnetic waves carry

a. Positive charge b. negative charge c.no charge d.both positive and
negative charge
4. Electromagnetic spectrum comprise of
a. Transverse wave b. longitudinal waves c. transverse and longitudinal
both
d. latitudinal waves
5. Which of the following has maximum penetrating power?
(a) Ultraviolet radiation (b) Microwaves (c) γ-rays (d) Radio waves
6. The quantity 1/√μ0ε0 represents
(a) speed of sound (b) speed of light in vacuum c) 1/speed of sound(d) inverse of
speed of light in vacuum
7. In electromagnetic wave if ue and um are mean electric and magnetic energy
densities respectively, then

8. . Which of the following are not electromagnetic waves?

(a) Cosmic rays (b) γ-rays (c) β-rays (d) X-rays
9. Electromagnetic waves are transverse in nature is evident by
(a) polarization. (b) Interference, (c) reflection. (d) Diffraction.
10. 10 cm is a wavelength corresponding to the spectrum of
a) infrared rays (b) ultraviolet rays (c) microwaves (d) X-rays
11. . If E⃗ and B⃗ represent electric and magnetic field vector of the electromagnetic
waves then the direction of propagation of the em wave is that of
12. The condition under which a microwave oven heats up a food item containing water
molecules most efficiently is
(a) The frequency of the microwaves must match the resonant frequency of the
water molecules.
(b) The frequency of the microwaves has no relation with natural frequency of the
water molecules.
(c) Microwaves are heat waves, so always produce heating.
(d) Infrared waves produce heating in a microwave oven
13. Waves in decreasing order of their wavelength are
(a) X-rays, infrared rays, visible rays, radio waves
(b) radio waves, visible rays, infrared rays, X-rays.
(c) Radio waves, infrared rays, visible rays, X-rays.
(d) X-rays ,radio waves, ultraviolet rays, visible rays
14. The electric field associated with an e.m wave in vacuum is given by
E⃗ =40 cos (kz – 6 × 108) i⃗ , where E, Z and t are in volt/m, meter and seconds
respectively. The value of wave vector K is
(a) 2 m-1 (b) 0.5 m-1 (c) 6 m-1 (d) 3 m-1
15. If speeds of gamma rays, X-rays and microwave are Vg, Vx and Vm respectively, then
correct option, will be.
(a) Vg > Vx > Vm
(b) Vg < Vx < Vm
(c) Vg > Vx > Vm
(d) Vg = Vx = Vm
16. Which of the following electromagnetic waves is used in medicine to destroy cancer
cells?
(a) IR-rays (b) Visible rays (c) Gamma rays (d) Ultraviolet rays
17. The waves used by artificial satellites for communication is
(a) microwaves (b) infrared waves (c) radio waves (d) X-rays

18. . If E and B denote electric and magnetic fields respectively, which of the following is
dimensionless?
19. Speed of electromagnetic wave related to electric field and magnetic field vector in
vacuum.

20. Electromagnetic waves produced by bombardment of high energy electrons on a

metal target

a. IR rays b. X rays c. UV rays d. microwaves

Q II FILL IN THE BLANKS

21. Electromagnetic waves possess both ________ and ________

22. Electromagnetic waves used in RADAR are ________

23. Electromagnetic waves are produced by ________ electric charge

24. Welders wear special goggles or face masks with glass windows to protect their
eyes from large amount of __________ radiations produced by welding arcs

25. The phase difference between electric and magnetic field vectors in an em wave is
________

QIII ANSWER THE FOLLOWING

26. Name the electromagnetic radiations used for

(a) water purification (b) eye surgery (c) maintain the Earth’s warmth
(d) in aircraft navigation . (e) detecting fake currency notes (f) detect secret writing
on ancient walls (g) cellular phones (h) radiotherapy (i) detect explosives in
human body (j) take photograph in fog
27. Do electromagnetic waves carry energy and momentum?

28. What evidence is there that sound is not electromagnetic in nature?

29. Why the velocity of all is types of electromagnetic waves same in free space?

30. Arrange the following electromagnetic waves in order of increasing frequency:

γ-rays, microwaves, infrared rays and ultraviolet rays

31. Out of microwaves, ultraviolet rays and infrared rays, which radiation will be most
effective for emission of electrons from a metallic surface?

32. Let the wavelengths of the electromagnetic waves used quite often for
(i) killing germs in household water purifiers,
(ii) remote sensing
(iii) treatment of cancer, be labeled as λ1, λ2 and λ3 in increasing order

33. . Why are microwaves used in radar?

34. The velocity of propagation (in vacuum) and the frequency of (i) X-rays and (ii)
radiowaves are denoted by (vx, nx) and (vR, nR) respectively.
How do the values of
(a) vx and vR (b) nx and nR, related with each other?
35. Sketch a schematic diagram depicting electric and magnetic fields for a linearly polarized
electromagnetic wave propagating along the Z-direction.

36. What is radiation pressure ? Why we do not feel radiation pressure when sunlight falls
on us

37. Why are infrared radiations referred to as heat radiation also?

38. The magnetic field in a plane e.m wave is given by Bx =2x10 -7 sin (0.5x103
y+1.5x1011t) T. find The expression for electric field

39. Why over exposure of X Rays harmful.

40. Identify the e.m waves corresponding to
A. produced by magnetron valve B. produced by radioactive decay of nucleus
C. detected by thermopiles D. 10 Hz E. 108 Hz F. 600 nm G . 10 -7m
22

41. . Name the physical quantity that remains same for X-rays, blue light & Radio waves
42. Suppose that the electric field amplitude of an e.m wave is E0=120N/C and that its
frequency is ν=50MHz then find B0 k ω & λ
43. 1. It is said exposure to radiation is hazardous to health then why meals cooked in
microwave ovens not dangerous to health.
2. Why porcelain vessels are advised for microwave cooking but not metal containers
3. Give basic principle on which microwaves heat food items
4. Give one application of microwaves.

44. Why we do not get tanned through glass windows

45. Arrange following em waves in ascending order of λ

Microwaves, X rays, red light, UV light

46. If x-rays are more energetic than UV rays, then is the reason we are burned by UV rays
(sunburn) a function of being exposed to them for longer? Would we receive similar
burns from an x-ray if exposed for a similar period of time?

47. If the earth did not have an atmosphere, would its average surface temperature
be higher or lower than what it is now?

48. An electromagnetic wave travels in vacuum along z-direction.

What can you say about the directions of its electric and magnetic field vectors?
If the frequency of the wave is 30 MHz, what is its wavelength?

49. Why is the orientation of the portable radio with respect to broadcasting station
important?

50. State Maxwells equations

Hints / solutions
MCQ
1. D 2. A 3. C 4 .A
5. C (γ-rays have maximum frequency and energy of proton, therefore maximum penetrating
power)
6 B 7 A 8 C 9A 10 C 11 C 12 A 13 C
14 A{(Wave vector, k=W/C=6×1083×108=2m−1)equation 8.9 a ncert}
15 D 16 C 17 A 18 A 19 A 20 B

FILL UP
21 energy, momentum 22 Microwaves 23 oscillating 24 UV rays 25 Zero

26 Answer the following

a. UV b UV c IR d Microwaves e UV

f IR g Radiowaves h X/Gamma rays i X rays j IR

27 Yes. For example, the tail of the comet always stays away from the sun due to the
radiation pressure exerted on the tail by the light

28 Sound wave requires an inertial medium for their propagation which shows that sound
is not electromagnetic in nature.

29 The speed of em wave in free space is given by c=1μ0ε0√. The value of c is same for all
types of em waves because the constants μ0 and ε0 do not depend on the frequency or
wavelength of the em waves. They only depend on the medium.

30 γ. -rays > ultraviolet rays > infrared rays > microwaves

31 Ultraviolet rays will be most effective for emission of electrons because these rays have
the highest frequency and hence more energetic

32 (i) UV radiation (λ1), (ii) Microwaves (λ2), (iii) γ-rays (λ3)

The increasing order of wavelength is λ3 < λ1 < λ2.

33 Microwaves have the wavelengths of the order of a few millimetres. Due to their short
wavelengths, they are not diffracted easily, and can travel longer distances
34 (a) vx = vR (b) nx > nR 35. ncert page 275 fig 8.4
36 The pressure exerted by EM waves is known as Radiation pressure. (page 277 ncert )
If we keep our palm in sun, after some time, palm becomes warm and starts sweating.This
happens because sunlight is getting transferred in the form of EM waves and these EM
waves carry energy. Suppose total energy transferred to the hand =E.
Momentum = (E/c) as c is extremely high, therefore momentum is very small.As
momentum is very less, pressure experienced is also very less.This is the reason due to
which the pressure exerted by the sun is not experienced by the hand.
37 water molecules present in them readily absorb infrared rays
38. Ez=60 sin (0.5x103 y+1.5x1011t) V/m

39 destroy living tissue

40 A. microwaves B. Gamma rays C . IR D. gamma rays E. radio waves F. visible light

(orange) G. UV

41. Speed of light

42 . use these to solve B0=E0/c (4x10-7 T) ω=2πν (3.14x 108 rad/s)

k=ω/c (1.05rad/m) λ=c/ν (6.0m)

43 Page 281 ncert (also refer the blue box)

44 UV light is absorbed by ordinary glass.

45 X rays UV light red light Microwaves

46 Yes, and we would get DNA damage that can cause cancer.

47 The temperature of the earth would be lower because the green house effect of the
atmosphere would be absent.

48 E and B lie in x-y plane and are mutually perpendicular,

Since; C=νλ Wavelength is 10m

49 Electromagnetic waves are plane polarized, so the receiving antenna should be parallel to
electric and magnetic part of wave(page 277 ncert )

50 page 273 blue box.

More questions on em waves

MRS SHILPA AGRAWAL VISHNOI