What's In A Name?

The fourth of Maxwell's equations is

What is the name of the last term, ?

Time Varying Electric Field

B
r2 E
r1

B-line 1

B-line 2

In a certain region of space a time varying electric field is approximately uniform. The resulting magnetic field
lines are approximately circular loops. We will assume that in this region the magnetic field only depends on , the
distance from the center of the loops. If is the radius of magnetic field line 1, and is the radius of

magnetic field line 2, the ratio , of the magnitudes of the magnetic fields at and at is:
Magnetic Field in a Capacitor

The figures above show a side and top view of a capacitor with charge and electric and magnetic fields and
at time . At this time the energy stored in the electric field is:

Increasing in time

Constant in time

Decreasing in time
A Capacitor of Radius R

ax b
x

r1
I
r2 R
x x
c d

Consider the charging capacitor in the diagram, with circular plates of radius R. The capacitor is ideal (ignore
edge effects).

Points and are at a distance with respect to the center line, and points and are at a distance
.

Which of the following statements about , the magnitude of the magnetic field at points , , , and are true?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.
A Electric Field Changing with Time

^θ
R
^r
E ^k (out)

Consider the situation where an electric field is confined to a circular region in space of radius , i.e. for
and for , where is the z-component of the electric field. We will assume that
the E-field is uniform but depends on time. In the figure above, a view of the field from the +z-axis is shown. The
origin of the cylindrical coordinate system shown is assumed to be at the center of the E-field region.

Because the E-field has axial symmetry and the B-lines must be closed lines, we expect them to be concentric
circles in the E-field region, and therefore the B-field is given by

     

(Part a) Given that the E-field is independent of and it is in the direction, which of the following
statements about the dependence of on is true?

is a function of

is a function of

is a function of

is a function of only

is a function of only

is a function of only
 Part b) Calculate the magnitude of the line integral of the B-field along a circle of radius from the center
of the E-field region.

^θ
^r
R
E ds ^k ((out)
o t)
(out) r

A ssum e d irection of circul at ion t o be countercl oc kwise. Express your answer in terms B for , , and thet a for .

Part c) The sign of the line integral in Part b) is:

(
(
there is not enough information to answer

Part d) What is the direction of the unit normal of the circular area enclosed by the loop of radius ?
(
(Part e) Calculate the electric flux through the circle enclosed by the loop of radius . Express your answer in
terms of E_z for and .

(Part f) Assume that the electric field is given by , where and are constants, with . Calculate
the displacement current. Express your answer in terms of epsilon_0 for , , , , and as needed.

Part g) Use the results in Part b) and Part f) to obtain the , the component of the magnetic field. Express
(
(
(
your answer in te rms of mu_0 for , epsilon_0 for , , , , and as needed.

Part h) Assume that the magnitude of the E-field decreases with time, . Assume the direction of circulation
(
is still counterclockwise. Which of the following statements are true?

1.

2.

3.

4.
Relation Between E and B

Which of the following choice(s) represent a possible correct physical relationship between and fields?
Check all that apply:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
Plane Wave Solution

An electromagnetic plane wave is propagating in vacuum and has an electric field given by:

At time and position , what figure best depicts the magnitude and direction of the electric field in the
xy-plane?

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
Ampere-Maxwell Law and the Wave Equation

y
E y
z x x
z
Ey(x+Δx,t) x+ Δx
n̂ 2 2 y
x x+ Δ x
B loop l Bz (x,t) x
Δx z
Bz (x + Δ x,t)
loop

Consider the planar electromagnetic wave propagating along the direction as shown in the left figure above.
The electric field oscillates along the -direction, , and the magnetic field along the direction,
. We will assume that these fields are a solution of Maxwell's equations in free space. In
particular, they are a solution of the Ampere-Maxwell law:

    (1)

Note that this version has no “real" current term since we are assuming that the wave is propagating through
vacuum where there are no charges or currents present.

We will apply the Ampere-Maxwell law along the small rectangular loop of length and width contained in the
- plane as shown in the middle figure above. The direction of circulation is chosen to be counterclockwise
as viewed from the axis, and therefore the unit vector perpendicular to the rectangle enclosed by the loop is
as shown.

(Part a) In the right figure, the left and right sides of the rectangle are at and , respectively. Because
we are assuming that the wave is planar and moving along the x-axis, the magnetic field is only a function of
and . As a result, the magnetic field has the same value of at any point along the left side, and the
same value of at any point along the right side. Define .
Calculate , the line integral of the magnetic field along the rectangular loop. Express your answer in
terms of DeltaB_z for , , and Deltax for as needed.

(Part b) Consider the width of the loop to be very small, . In this limit, we can assume that the electric
field throughout the area enclosed by the loop is approximately constant and its component is equal to
. Calculate the flux of the electric field through the rectangle enclosed by the loop. Express
your answer in terms of E_y for , , and Deltax for as needed.

Part c) Replace the results of parts (a) and (b) in the Ampere-Maxwell law (eq. 1 , and after taking the limit of
we obtain:
Faraday's Law and the Wave Equation

y
E z x Ey (x,t) Ey (x + Δ x,t)
loop
loop
n̂ l Bz(x+Δx,t) y
B 2

x x+ Δ x
Δx
y
x+Δx z x
z x 2

Consider the planar electromagnetic wave propagating along the direction as shown in the left figure above.
The electric field oscillates along the -direction, , and the magnetic field along the direction,
. We will assume that these fields are a solution of Maxwell's equations in free space. In
particular, they are a solution of Faraday's law:

    (1)

We will apply Faraday's law along the small rectangular loop of length and width contained in the -
plane as shown in the middle figure above. The direction of circulation is chosen to be counterclockwise as
viewed from the axis, and therefore the unit vector perpendicular to the rectangle enclosed by the loop is
as shown.

Part a) In the right figure, the left and right vertical sides of the rectangle are at and , respectively.
(
Because we are assuming that the wave is planar and moving along the x-axis, the electric field is only a function
of and . As a result, the electric field has the same value of at any point along the left vertical side,
and the same value of at any point along the right vertical side. Define
. Calculate , the line integral of the electric field along the
rectangular loop. Express your answer in terms of DeltaE_y for , , and Deltax for as needed.

Part b) Consider the width of the loop to be very small, . In this limit, we can assume that the magnetic
(
field throughout the area enclosed by the loop is approximately constant and its component is equal to
. Calculate the flux of the magnetic field through the rectangle enclosed by the loop. Express
your answer in te rms of B_z for , , and Deltax for as needed.

Part c) Replace the results of parts (a) and (b) in Faraday's law (eq. 1 , and after taking the limit of we
)
(
obtain:
Wave Equation for E and B

Consider electric and magnetic fields that only depend on and are given by and
. If these fields are solutions of the Faraday and Ampere-Maxwell equations, the components of
the fields are related by:

    (1)

    (2)

(Part a) Which of the following expressions will you obtain after taking the partial derivative of (eq. 1) with respect
to , and the partial derivative of (eq. 2) with respect to ? Check all that apply.

(Part b) Use the results of part (a) to obtain a differential equation including only the electric field component
.
 Part c) Which of the following expressions will you obtain after taking the par tial derivative of (eq. 1 wit h respect
to , and the partial derivative of (eq. 2 with respect to ? Check all that apply.

Part d) Use the results of par t (c) to obtain a differential equation including only the magnetic field com ponent
(
.
Wave Equation and Traveling Waves

The wave equation in one dimension is given by:

    (1)

where is the speed of the wave, and is the function describing the shape of the wave. This equation
describes any type of one dimensional wave. We can classify waves into two groups, mechanical and
electromagnetic waves. Mechanical waves need a medium to propagate, for example sound waves, water waves,
and waves on a rope. The speed of a mechanical wave depends on the properties of the medium through which
is passes (density of the fluid, mass density, tension on the rope, etc.). On the other hand, electromagnetic waves
can propagate in free space (vacuum).

(Part a) Consider , where and are positive constants. Express the following answers in
terms of , , and as needed.

Calculate

Calculate

Wave Equation and Traveling Waves

0.0/0.5 points (graded)

Replace the results obtained for and in (eq. 1 . Is a solution of the wave
)
equation?

Yes

No

 
 Wave Equation and Traveling Waves

Part b) Consider , where is a positive constant. Express the following answers in terms
(
of , , and as needed.

Calculate

Calculate

Wave Equation and Traveling Waves

Replace the results obtained for and in (eq. 1 . Is a solution of the wave
)
equa tion?

Yes

No
 Wave Equation and Traveling Waves

The wave equation in one dimension is given by:

    (1)

where is the speed of the wave, and is the function describing the shape of the wave. You will show
that any function , i.e. any function of , is a solution of the wave equation (1).

In fact, any function of the form is a solution. We will check this for
but the steps are similar for the other sign option.

In the following calculations note that is a function of the function , therefore you will be using the

chain rule of calculus when calculating the partial derivatives. Express your answers in terms of (df)/(dy) for ,

(d2f)/(dy2) for , and as needed.

(Part a) Calculate

Part b) Calculate

(
Part c) Replace the results obtained for and in (eq. 1 . Is a solution of the wave equation?
(
)
Yes

NO
 Part d) Consider the one dimensional wave equation obtained in the previous video for the y-component of the
(
electric field:

    (2)

Assume that is a given function of , . Repeat the steps in part (a) and (b) to calculate
the value of that makes be a solution of (eq. 2 . Express your answer in terms of mu_0 for and
)
eps ilon_0 for as needed.

 
Traveling Waves - Direction of Propagation

f(x)

+x
Figure 1 x=0 Figure 2

At time , a traveling pulse has its peak at position and is described by the function as shown in
the central figure above. It is known that the pulse is traveling with speed . At a later time,

Figure 1 is a pulse travelling to the left and is described by

Figure 1 is a pulse travelling to the left and is described by

Figure 2 is a pulse travelling to the right and is described by

Figure 2 is a pulse travelling to the right and is described by

The Speed of a Pulse

Consider a very long rope at rest on a frictionless surface and placed parallel to the -axis. If its left end is quickly
shaken up and down once, a perturbation of the shape of a pulse propagates along the rope from the left to the
right end. If there is no energy losses, the pulse will propagate along the rope without changing its original shape.

(Part a) In the figure above, the displacement in centimeters of an ideal rope with respect to its equilibrium
position defined by is shown. The travelling pulse is shown at different times. The speed of the pulse is

(Part b) If the shape of the pulse at time can be modelled by the the function , where
and are postive constants, what is , the mathematical representation of the shape of pulse at any
instant of time . Express your answer in terms of , , , and .

Wave Number and Angular Frequency

Consider an electric field , and a magnetic field, . These fields are a solution of
the wave equations below:

    (1)

    (2)

(Part a) The y-component of the -field is given by: , where , , and are
positive constants. Which of the following statements are true? (Check all that apply).

Only functions of the form are solutions of (eq. 1) and because of the extra ,
is not of that form.

is a solution of (eq. 1) if and only if .

is a solution of (eq. 1) if and only if .

(Part b) Consider the electric field given by , where and are positive
constants of units V/m and 1/m, respectively. is the amplitude of the electric field, and is called the wave
number. We will examine the dependence of the electric field on th e position by looking at the field at a fixed
instant of time. For example, take a picture at time . At this instant, the electric field is only a function of ,
. Its plot is shown below.

Ey(x,0) λ

λ
+x

t= 0
λ

The distance between two consecutive maximums or two consecutive minim ums is called the wavelength and is
noted with the letter . Calculate the value of the wave number . Express your answer in terms of lambda for .

 Part c) Now we will look at the time dependence of the electric field . If we
(
fixed the postio n, for example, set the E-fie ld is given by or
, where we have used . The plot of is shown below.

Ey(0 , t) T

T
x=0
T

The distance between two consecutive maximums or two consecutive minimums is the period . Calculate the
product . Express your answer in terms of .

Properties of EM Waves

If you have a plane EM wave whose electric field can be described by:

     

(Part a) What direction is the wave traveling?

It's not traveling.

(Part b) What is the wavelength of this EM wave?

Write your answer in terms of , , and as needed.

(Part c) What is the period?

Write your answer in terms of , , and as needed.

Magnitude of B if you know E

In any EM wave, there is a fixed ratio between the magnitudes of and . If at some point in the
space through which the wave is moving, what is the value of at that point? Give your answer in tesla.

Finding E from B

For the given magnetic field, choose the correct expression for the electric field that satisfies conditions for an
electromagnetic plane wave in vacuum:
 Maxwell's Equations - Differential Form

So far, we have been using the integral representation of Maxwell's equations:

Integral Form

Gauss' Law
∯

∯ Magnetic Gauss' Law

Faraday's Law

Ampere-Maxwell's Law

In this lesson, we will use two theorems of vector calculus (Divergence and Stokes) to express
Maxwell's equations in terms of derivatives. We will call this representation the differential form of
Maxwell's equations. For any vector , the Divergence and Stokes Theorems are the following:

∯ Divergence Theorem

where is the volume enclosed by the closed surface

Stokes' Theorem

where is a closed path and is a surface with as its boundary.

You will show that after applying these two theorems the intergral forms of Maxwell's Equations are
the following:

Differential Form

Gauss' Law

Magnetic Gauss' Law

Faraday's Law

Ampere-Maxwell's Law
 Maxwell's Equations and the Divergence Theorem

(Part a) Consider a closed surface and the volume enclosed by the surface. Which of the following
statements about the flux of the electric field through are true? In the equations, indicates charge per unit
volume, indicated charge per unit area on a surface, and indicates current per unit area through a surface.
Also note that and are two ways of writing exactly the same thing.

1. ∯

2. ∯

3. ∯

4. ∯

Part b) Using the result of part (a), which one of the following statements is true?
(
1.

2.

3.
(Part c) Consider the scalar functions and , and let be any arbitrary volume in space, then

     

Note that this result is only true for all points if the two integrals are equal for any volume that you
chose.

Use the result of the previous part and the statement above to obtain an expression for , the divergence of
the electric field. Expres your answer in terms of rho for and epsilon_0 for

(Part d) Calculate , the divergence of a given magnetic field .

Maxwell's Equations and Stokes' Theorem

(Part a) Consider a closed path and an open surface with as its boundary. Which of the following
statements about and are true?

1.

2.

3.

4.

Part b) Using the result of part (a), which one of the following statements is true?
(
1.

2.

3.
 Part c) Consider the vector functions and , and to be any arbitrary open surface in
(
space, then

     

Note that this result is only true for all points if the two integrals are equal for any surface that you
chose.

Using the result of the previous part and the statement above, indicate which one of the following is true?

1.

2.

3.
 Part d) Applying Stokes' theorem to the magnetic field we obtain that for any closed path and any open
surface with as a boundary:

   

We also know that Ampere-Maxwell's law states that:

     

Using the same steps followed in parts (a) to (c), complete the line below:
 Maxwell's Equations - Wave Equation

In the case when there is no charge or current, and , Maxwell's equations in differential
form become:

Maxwell's equations in free space

Gaus s' Law

Magnetic Gauss' Law

Faraday's Law

Ampere- Maxwell's Law

Maxwell's E qu ati on s - Wave Equ ation

You will use the different ial form of Maxwell's equat io n s in free space an d the vecto r ident ity bel ow,
to derive the wave e quation for .

    ( 1)

where is a any vector with well defined derivatives.

Part a) Star ting from Faraday's law in differential form

(
 
   

Take the curl in both sides of the equation to obtain:

 
   
where we have use the fact that the order of the spacial derivative and time derivative can be

interchanged, , etc.

Applying eq. 1 and Gauss's law in the expression above you will obtain which of the following
(
)
equations?

1.

2.

3.

4.
(
Part b) Use Ampere-Maxwell's law in free space, , in the right hand side of the

equation you obtained in part (a), to find out which of the following is true?

1.

2.

3.

4.

Maxwell's Equations - Wave Equation - Part 2

You will use the differential form of Maxwell's equations in free space and the vector identity below
to derive the wave equation for .

    (1)

where is a any vector with well defined derivatives.

Part a) Consider the differential form of Ampere - Maxwell's law
(
 

 Take the curl in both sides of the e quation  

     

Applying eq. 1 and the magnetic Gauss' law in the expression above you will obtain which of the
(
)
following equations?

1.

2.

3.

4.
 Part b) Use the differential form of Faraday's law, in the right hand side of the
(
equation you obtained in part (a), and select the correct expression from the list below:

1.

2.

3.

4.
Charging Capacitor and Displacement Current

A capacitor consists of two circular plates of radius , separated by a distance (assume ). The center of
each plate is connected to the terminals of a voltage source by a thin wire. A switch in the circuit (not shown in
the picture) is closed at time , and current flows in th e circuit. The charge on the bottom plate is
related to the current according to .

We begin by calculating the electric field between the plates. Throughout this problem, you may ignore edge
effects. We assume that the electric field is zero for . Choose cylindrical coordinates with unit vectors
satisfying , where points from the positively charged plate to the negatively charged plate (vertically
upwards in the figure below). This means that points counterclockwise as viewed from above.

(Part a) Use Gauss's Law to find a vector expression for the electric field between the plates when the charge on
the plates is (as pictured). Please express your answer using Q, a, epsilon_0 for and hatk for .

 Part b ) Using your expression for found in the Part (a), calculate the electric flux through a flat disk of radius
(
in the plane midway between the plates, as shown in the picture above. Take the surface unit normal to the
disk to be in the direction, . Please express your answer using Q, a, r and epsilon_0 for .

Part c) Calculate the Maxwell displacement current,

(
 

through the flat disk of radius . Please express your answer in terms of r, a and I for .

 
 Part d) What is the conduction current through the flat disc of radius ? “Conduction"
(
current just means the current due to th e flow of real charge across the surface (e.g. electrons or ions). Please
express your answer in terms of r, a and I for .

Part e) The capacitor plates have axial symmetry, and we know that the magnetic field due to a wire runs in
(
azimuthal circles around the wire. Then, from symmetr y arguments, we ma y assume that the magnetic field in the
system will run in azimuthal circles inside the capacitor as well.

Choose an Amperian loop as a circle of radius in the plane midway between the pla tes (see figure above).
Calculate the magnitude of the line integral of the magnetic field around the circle, . Express your
answer in terms of r and B for .

(Part f) Now use the results of your answers above to apply the generalized Ampere's Law equation to find a
vector expression for the magnetic field at distance from the axis. Please express your answer using I, r, a,
mu_0 for , hattheta for and hatr for .

(Part g) If you use your right thumb to point along the direction of the electric field, as the plates charge up, does
the magnetic field point in the direction your fingers curl on your right hand, or in the opposite direction?

In the direction of your fingers

In the opposite direction

 Part h) Would the direction of the magnetic field change if the plates were discharging?
(
Yes

No

Could be either way

 Maxwell's Equations
Maxwell's Equations:

Lorentz Force Equation:

Conservation of Charge:

Indicate the number(s) of the Maxwell equation(s) I IV , the Lorentz Force Equation V or charge conservation
(
)
(
)
-
VI that can be used to explain the given phenomena. Check all that apply.
(
)
Part a) The electric field of an isolated point charge drops off like .
(
I

II

III

IV

VI

Part b) There are no magnetic monopo les.

(
I

II

III

IV

VI
(Part c) A conducting disc falls more slowly between the poles of a magnet than does a disc which is an insulator.

II

III

IV

VI

(Part d) Lightning is formed and strikes a piece of iron, which then becomes magnetized.

II

III

IV

VI
 Part e) There is no magnetic equivalent of a Faraday cage.

II

III

IV

VI

Part f) All unbalanced charge in a m etal m oves to the s urf ace.

(
I

II

III

IV

VI
Part g) In a DC circuit, at each node, current into the node equals current out of the node.

II

III

IV

VI
Traveling Wave

The electric field of an electromagnetic plane wave is described as follows:

where and . Note, also, that this wave travels at the speed of light (
). Answer the following:

(a) In what direction is the wave traveling? Enter hati, hatj, or hatk for , , or , respectively, and use for
negative directions (e.g. - ).

(b) What is the wavelength, of the wave?

(c) What is the angular frequency of the wave in units of rad/s?

(d) What is the amplitude of the accompanying magnetic field?

Superposition of Two Travelling Waves

Suppose the electric field of an electromagnetic wave is given by the superposition of two waves:

(a) What is the associated magnetic field ? Please express your answer using x, y, z, t, k, c, E_0 for ,
omega for ; hati, hatj, and hatk for the unit vectors , and , respectively.

(b) Use the trigonometry identities ,

, and to show that you can write the electric and magnetic field as

     

     
    

(c) Is the superposition of these two traveling waves, which are traveling in opposite direction, a traveling wave?

Yes

No
 Ex (z,t)

By (z,t)

z
Discharging Capacitor

A capacitor consists of two parallel circular plates of radius separated by a distance (assume ). The
capacitor is initially charged to a charge . At , this capacitor begins to discharge because we insert a
circular resistor of radius and height between the plates, such that the ends of the resistor make good
electrical contact with the plates of the capacitor. The capacitor then discharges through this resistor for ,
so the charge on the capacitor becomes a function of time . Throughout this problem, you may ignore edge
effects and assume that the current in the resistor is uniformly distributed.

(Part a) Use Gauss's Law to find the electric field between the plates as a function of , the given
parameters, and . Does this electric field point upward or downward?

Write your answer using some or all of the following: Q for , , and epsilon_0 for .

Does the electric field point up or down?

up

down
Discharging Capacitor

Part b) For , consider an open surface of radius inside the capacitor with its unit normal upward
(
(see figure). Note that this is a purely “mathematical" surface, not something physical inside the resistor itself.

For , what is the current flowing through this open surface? Define the direction of positive current to be
upward, and be careful about signs.

Write your answer using some or all of the following: Q for , , and epsilon_0 for . Enter the ratio
.

Part c) For this same open surface, what is the time rate of change of the electric flux though the surface? Hint:
(
(
use your answer above for ).

Write your answer using some or all of the following: Q for , , and epsilon_0 for . Enter the ratio
.

(Part d) What is the integral of the magnetic field around the circumference of the same open surface, using the
Ampere-Maxwell Law? Be careful of signs.

Write your answer using some or all of the following: Q for , , , mu_0 for and epsilon_0 for . Enter the
ratio .

EM Plane Wave

(Part a) The electric field of a plane electromagnetic wave is described as follows:

Be sure to include units in your answers to the questions below. Use m for meters, s for seconds and use “*"
between the number and unit, for example “10*m".

What is the wavelength, , of the wave?

(Part b) What is the period, , of the wave?

(Part c) In which direction does this wave propagate? Be sure to indicate the direction of propagation with a unit
vector and an appropriate sign. Please use hati, hatj and hatk for unit vectors.

EM Plane Wave contd...

Part d) Write an expression for the magnetic field of the wave in terms of the quantities given and the speed
(
of light. Be sure to indicate the direction of the field with a unit vector.

Please use x, y, z, t, E_0 for , mu_0 for , c for speed of light, s for seconds, m for meters; hati, hatj, and hatk
for unit vectors.

(Part e) An electromagnetic wave will move at the speed denoted by (the “speed of light") only
in vacuum. Is this wave travelling through vacuum?

yes

no
Maxwell's Equations
Maxwell's Equations:

∯
∯

Lorentz Force Equation:

Conservation of Charge:

Indicate the number(s) of the Maxwell equation(s) I IV , the Lorentz Force Equation V or charge conservation
-
(
)
(
)
VI that can be used to explain the given phenomena.
(
)
Part a) A coil with a sinusoidal current flowing can levitate above a conducting plate.
(
I

II

III

IV

VI

Part b) The lines of never end.

(
I

II

III

IV

VI
(Part c) Moving a coil through a magnetic field generates an electric current in the coil.

II

III

IV

VI

(Part d) A transformer can step up or step down voltage.

II

III

IV

VI
Magnetic Monopoles
Maxwell's Equations:

∯
∯

Lorentz Force Equation:

Conservation of Charge:

Indicate the number(s) of the Maxwell equation(s) (I-IV), the Lorentz Force Equation (V) or charge conservation
(VI) for this problem.

If magnetic monopoles existed, and followed the same behavior as electric monopoles (i.e. if the magnetic field
from a magnetic monopole went as , where is the magnetic monopole "charge", which of

Maxwell's equations would change.

II

III

IV

VI

Need a new magnetic charge conservation equation.

Electromagnetic Plane Wave

An electromagnetic plane wave is propagating in vacuum, and has a magnetic field given by:

where and are positive quantities.

(Part a)

What condition between and must be met in order for this wave to satisfy Maxwell's equations?

Please solve this condition for , and express using some or all of the b, mu_0 for , epsilon_0 for , B_0 for
.

 Electromagnetic Plane Wave

(Part b) What for this wave?

Express your answer using some or all of the b, c, B_0 for , f for ; hati, hatj, hatk for unit vectors
, , and , respectively.

Part c) Would it change your answers to Part a) and Part b) if instead the function of the magnetic field were
(
(
(
written as below?

     

Yes.

No.

What if we wrote in the following way:

     

Yes.

No.
Could we write in the following way and still have it satisfy Maxwell's equations?

     

Satisfies Maxwell's equations

Does not satisfy Maxwell's equations

Superposition of Two Waves

In the picture above, the red dashed curve is A; the blue dotted curve is B; the black solid curve is C. Which of the
following is true about C?

(a) C is the superposition of A and B.

(b) C has a wavenumber equal to the sum of the wavenumbers of A and B.

(c) C is shifted in phase relative to A.

(d) C is shifted in phase relative to B.

(e) The -axis is labeled as phase. With a change of X axis labels, these shapes could also be graphs of
the electric or magnetic field as a function of time at a certain position of space, or they could be the
electric or magnetic field as a function of space for a fixed time.
Plane Waves

An electromagnetic plane wave is propagating in vacuum and has an electric field given by:

     

(Part a) At the position , what pair of vectors represent the magnitude and direction of the electromagnetic
field components at time , where is the period of oscillation?

Figure (a).

Figure (b).

Figure (c).

Figure (d).

Both and are 0.

 Plane Waves
Part b) At the position , what if we now look at the time , where is again the period of
(
oscillation?

Figure (a).

Figure (b).

Figure (c).

Figure (d).

Both and are 0.

Plane Waves

Part c) Now let's look at the wave at , but at a position , where is the wavelength of the
(
electromagnetic wave.

Figure (a).

Figure (b).

Figure (c).

Figure (d).

Both and are 0.

 ^nout
Co nservation of Energy ^nout

surface
enclosing V ^nout

Consider a region in space in which there are electric and magnetic fields as well as a certain charge
distribution. A surface encloses a portion of that regio n of volume . The energy in the volume will change if
the electric or magnetic energies change, or if there is work done on the charges. If the volume is determined by
a closed surface with an outwards unit normal , the ma thema tical repr esenta tion of the conservation of
energy is:

    (1)

In the next video, we will define a vector that represents the flow of energy per unit area, called the Poynting
vector, , such that:

  ∯   (2)

where is the outward unit normal to the surface.

Conservation of Energy in Free Space

In the particular case when there are no charges in the volume, the second term in the energy conservation
equation is zero. Therefore the equation becomes:

    (3)

In a given volume, , of space which has electric and magnetic fields, but no charges, which of the following
statements are true about the relationship between the through a certain surface and the energy
stored in the el ectric and magnetic fiel ds in the vo lume encl osed by that surface?

1. If e ne rgy is flowing into the surf ace a nd the EM energy is increasing inside .

2. If energy is flowing out of the surface and the EM energy is decreasing inside .

3. If energy is flowing into the surface and the EM energy is increasing inside .

4. If energy is flowing out of the surface and the EM energy is decreasing inside .
Direction of the Poynting Vector

Answer the following questions regarding the circuit element shown in the figure. (Note the indicated direction of
current and polarity of the charge, and assume is constant. )

(a) Is the electromagnetic energy within the circuit element increasing or decreasing?

(b) What is the direction of the Electric field vector at point ?

(c) What is the direction of the Magnetic field vector at point ?

(d) What is the direction of the Poynting vector at po int ?

Poynting Vector of a planar EM wave

In a certain region of space, the electric and magnetic fields are given by and
, respectively.

(Part a) Find the Poynting vector, in this region of space.

Write your answer in terms of E_0 for , B_0 for , , , omega for , , hati for , hatj for , hatk for ,
epsilon_0 for , and mu_0 for as needed.

(Part b) The direction of wave propagation is:

Energy Flow in Electromagnetic Waves

Consider a region in space where there are electric and magnetic fields but no electric charge. In a closed
volume of that region, the power flowing out of the surface, , is given by the change of electric and
magnetic energy in that volume:

 
   

In addition, we will assume that the electric and magnetic fields are part of an electromagnetic wave propagating
along the direction. We choose the volume to be a cylinder of cross sectional with its axis parallel to the
direction and of length which is the distance traveled by the wave during a time interval .

^j
A ^k ^i
c
E

c dt

Part a) If and are the electric and magnetic energy densities (energy per unit volume) calculate , the
(
am ount of electric and magnetic energy inside the cylinder. Assume that and can be approxim ated as
being uniform over the volume (that would be true, for example, if was very small). Express your answer in
terms of , , , u_E for , and u_B for .

Part b) Consider and to be the electric and magn etic fields, respe ctively. What are and , the electric
(
and m agnetic energy densiti es . Express your an swe r in te rm s of , , mu_0 fo r , and epsil on_0 fo r as
needed.

Part c) Because the electric and magnetic fields are part of an electromagnetic wave, which must be a solution
(
of Maxwell 's equations, they are related such that . Use this relationship to express the electr ic and
magnetic energy densities and in terms of the product . Express your answer in terms of , , mu_0
for , epsilon_0 for , and as needed.

 Part d) Use the results in parts (a) and (c) to calculate , the rate of change of energy through the
(
cy linde r in terms of the produc t . Express yo ur answer in terms of , , mu_0 fo r , and .

Part e) Calculate the rate of energy per unit area flowing through the end of the cylinder.
(
Express your answer in terms of , , and mu_0 for .

Part f) What is , the magnitude of the Poynting vector. Express your answer in terms of , , and mu_0 for
(
.

Energy in an EM Wave

A plane sinusoidal electromagnetic wave is moving in the -direction. The electric and magnetic fields are given
by:
 
   
 
   
Recall that the time average of a function over a time interval is defined as:

   
 

In particular, if , where the period :

   
 
Part a) Calculate , the time average of the electric energy density. Express your answer in terms of E_0
(
for and epsilon_0 for .

Part b) Calculate , the time average of the magnetic energy density. Express your answer in terms of
(
B_0 for and mu_0 for .

Part c) Because the electric and magnetic fields are part of an electromagnetic wave which is a solution of
(
Maxwell's equations, their components are such that , therefore their amplitudes satisfy that
. Using this relationship and the results of pa rts (a) and (b), ex press and in terms
of the product of the amplitudes , . Use in your answers E_0 for , B_0 for , epsilon_0 for , mu_0 for
, and as needed.

 Part d) Consider an imaginary cylindrical surface of cross sectional area , length , and its axis parallel to the
-axis
axis as shown
shown.

^j
A ^k ^i
c
E

cdt

Use the answer in part (c) to calculate the magnitude of the time-average rate of change of the electromagnetic
energy, , the power flowing through the cylindrical surface in terms of the product of the amplitudes
. Express your answer in terms of , mu_0 for , E_0 for , and B_0 for .

Part e) What is , the time averaged Poynting vector for this wave? Express your answer in terms of ,
(
mu_0 for , E_0 for , and B_0 for , as well as a unit vector hati for , hatj for , and hatk for ,.

E-field of a Laser Beam

When giving presentations, many people use a laser pointer to direct the attention of the audience to the
information on a screen.

A small laser pointer produces a beam of red light of in diameter and has a power output of .

Part a) Calculate , the intensity of the wave.

(

Part b) What is , the amplitude of the electric field in the laser beam?
(

 Intensity of Electromagnetic Waves

Planar waves
Another way of visualizing a wave is the concept of wavefront, which is defined as the set of points in space
where the wave has the same phase, for example, all the points in space where the wave has a maximum at the
same time.

Plane sinusoidal waves are the type of waves we have been studying in the previous lessons. In these waves, the
electric and magnetic fields are in phase at all time. Therefore, the wavefronts are parallel planes perpendicular to
the direction of wave propagation.
E c

B
S

Wavefront
parallel planes plane wave

Intensity of Planar Waves

In a previous exercise, we showed that the rate of change of energy is related to the Poynting vector by:

where is the area perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Taking the time average of the
expression above,

where is the intensity. Because the amplitudes of a plane wave are assumed to be the same at all points on a
wavefront plane, the time average intensity of a plane sinusoidal wave is independent of the position.

Spherical Waves
Consider the case of a point source emitting EM waves equally in all directions, radially away from the central
emitting point. In this case, the wavefronts are concentric spheres wi th their centers coinciding with the source.
The left figure below is a view from the axis, the black dot at the center is the emitting source. The concentric
circles in the figure are the intersection of the spherical wavefronts with the -plane. For clarity, only a few
wavefronts in the -plane are shown. The 2-dimensional representation of the wavefronts of the 3
-
dimensional spherical waves can be thought of as the water ripples formed when the free surface of water of a
quiet lake is perturbed at a single point (see right figure below).

r
c
S(r)
^j
c ^
^k (out) i
c
So u
rc e
c

c c

Intersection of the spherical wavefronts with the plane. Image by Water Ripples by Brittney King
Intensity of Spherical Waves

Spherical waves also transport energy radially away from the source, equally in all directions. As a result of this
spherical symmetry the Poynting vector at any point in space is given by:

where is the magnitude of the Poynting vector. The rate at which energy is radiated by the source is
the flux of the Poynting vector through a closed sphere with its center coinciding with the source:

Using the spherical symmetry of the Poynting vector, we obtain:

∯ ∯ ∯

The time average of the equation above relates the intensity of the wave, , and the time average of the power:

The intensity of the ideal spherical EM waves is a function of the distance from the source.

Spherical Waves Far Away from the Source.

Far away from the source, a distance much larger than the wavelength of the waves, , the curvature of
the wavefront becomes small and it can be approximated by a plane. Therefore, spherical waves can be
approximated by sinusoidal planar waves at locations far away from the source.

source

S
S

spherical wave plane wave

As a result, the intensity of the wave far from the source can be expressed in terms of the amplitude of the
electric and magnetic fields, and ,
Power Emitted from a Light Bulb
1.5/1.5 points (graded)
You are reading a book and decide to estimate the magnitude of the electric and magnetic fields of the light that
is incident on the book from your desk lamp. You can treat the lamp as a point source that emits sinusoidal EM
waves uniformly in all directions. The book is at from the 100 Watt light bulb. Assume that all the electric
energy is transformed into visible light.

(Part a) Calculate , the intensity of the light incident on your book?

 
 Part b) Find and , the amplitude of the electric and the magnetic fields of the EM waves emitted by the
(
lamp.

 
Momentum Transfer by a Pulse

To have a qualitative understanding on how electromagnetic waves can transfer momentum to an object, let's
consider the simple case of an electric and magnetic "pulse" interacting with a single positive charge hanging
from a non-conducting spring.

y
Pulse
E0 E z x

B
c
t1 t2 t

The E-field at a given point d +q

in space as a function of time portion of slab

To imagine the electromagnetic pulse, you need to consider a rectangular "slab" in space of thickness , infinite
height and infinite depth, filled with a uniform electric field and uniform magnetic field .
There are no fields outside the slab. The slab moves along the axis with speed . A plot of the E-field as a
function of time at a fixed location of space is shown on the left figure, and a portion of the slab with the fields
inside is shown on the right figure.

Answer the following questions in terms of hati for , hatj for , and hatk for , and use a minus to indicate a
negative direction as needed.

(Part a) What is the direction of the force exerted by the E-field on the charge when the pulse passes through the
location of the charge?

(Part b) Because the electric field causes the charge to accelerate, it will begin moving and therefore the
magnetic field also exerts a force on the charge. What is the direction of the force exerted by the B-field on the
charge?

(
Part c) What is the direction of the force exerted by the B-field on a negative charge?

Part d) Imagine now that a sinusoidal planar electromagnetic wave passes through the location of the positively
(
charged particle as shown.

y c
z x
E

B +q

Which of the following statements are true?

1. The time average electric force on the particle is along the -direction.

2. The time average electric force on the particle is zero.

3. The time average magnetic force is along -direction.

4. The time average magnetic force is zero.

5. Both the time average and components of the momentum of the particle change

6. Only the time average -component of the momentum of the particle changes.
Laser Pointer

Let's come back to our laser pointer.

(Part a) Calculate , the intensity of the beam of a 3.0 mW pointer that creates a spot on a screen of 2.00 mm
diameter? (Note: The power 3.0 mW is a time averaged value.)

(Part b) Calculate , the radiation pressure exerted by the laser light on the screen if it reflects of the
light that strikes it.

A plane electromagnetic wave transports energy in the direction of propagation of the wave. The power per unit
area is given by the Poynting vector

The power that flows into a rectangular volume of cross-sectional area perpendicular to the propagation
direction and length parallel to the direction of the wave (where is the speed of light) is equal to the rate of
change of the energy stored in the fields inside that volume

The electromagnetic wave also transports momentum, and hence can exert a radiation pressure on a surface due
to the absorption or reflection of the light.

The momentum carried by an electromagnetic wave is related to the energy of the wave according to .
If the plane electromagnetic wave is completely absorbed by a surface of cross-sectional area , then the
momentum delivered to the surface in a time is given by . The force that the wave
exerts on the surface is then the rate of change of the momentum in time

Since the rate of change of energy is related to the power flowing across the surface, the force is

The radiation pressure is then defined to be the force per area that the wave exerts on the surface

if the material is perfectly absorbing. When the surface completely reflects the wave, then the change in
momentum is twice the absorbing case since the wave completely reverses direction .
Therefore, the radiation pressure of a wave on a perfectly reflecting surface is

 
Force of Sunlight

As you lie on the beach in the bright midday sunlight, approximately what force does the light exert on you?
(Assume light is a plane wave and ignore effects of latitude.) This will be an order of magnitude estimate that we
will break down and think about step-by-step.

Let's start with an estimate of the intensity of light that reaches you while you lie on the beach. You might find the
following helpful:

Distance from the Sun to the Earth,

Power output from the Sun,

Earth's atmosphere reflects around of the incoming solar radiation

Earth's atmosphere absorbs around of the solar radiation that passes through it

What is the approximate area (your surface area) that the sunlight is hitting?

Is the light mainly reflected or absorbed? Put in a value, , between 1 (totally absorbed) and 2 (totally reflected),
where represents the ratio of the momentum transferred to the surface divided by the momentum carried by
the light. In other words, estimate what fraction of the sunlight that hits you is absorbed or reflected.

Now, what is the order of magnitude of the force from the sunlight on you? (Do you expect to be able to feel it?)
We are interested in the order of magnitude, so if we write the force as , find the power, and enter
that number below

Energy Flow and Charging Capacitor

A circular capacitor of spacing and radius (where ) is in a circuit carrying the steady current as
shown in the figure below.

At time , the capacitor is uncharged ( ).

Express your answers to all of these questions in terms of , , , , epsilon_0 for , mu_0 for , and hatr, hatk,
and hattheta for , and , respectively, as needed.

(Part a) Find the magnitude and direction of the electric field as a function of time, , at the point . Assume
that has the field present “inside" the capacitor.

 Part b) Find the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field as a function of time at the po int .
(

 Part c) Find the magn itude and direction of the Poynting vec tor at the point .
(

Pa rt d) What is the flux of the P oy nting vector (power) in to or out of the capacitor? Fo r whichever case is
(
appropriate in this situation, flux into the capacitor should be written as a negative quantity and flux out will be
positive.

 Part e) How does this compare to the time derivative of the energy stored in the electric field?
(
 Intensity of the Sun

At the upper surface of the earth's atmosphere, the time-averaged magnitude of the Poynting vector, referred to
as the solar constant, is given by .

(Part a) If you assume that the sun's electromagnetic radiation is a plane sinusoidal wave, what are the
magnitudes of the electric and magnetic fields?

Part b) What is the time-averaged power radiated by the sun? The mean sun-earth distance is
(
.

   

   

   

S olar Water Disinfection

While at the upper surface of the earth's atmosphere the intensity of light from the sun is
, because of our atmosphere not all of that energy makes it to the surface of the
earth. In fact, at the surface of the earth, the intensit y of sunlight is closer to

C ontamina ted wat er ca uses so mething like 6 60 billion cases of gastrointestinal illness annuall y. One way to

-
prevent this is by purifying the water through a method called Sodis (solar water disinfection). The ultraviolet part
of the solar radiation ( ) has a lethal effect on human pathogens. It also reacts with the
oxygen dissolved in the water to produce reactive forms of oxygen that interfere with the cell structures to kill
pa thogens. The longer wavelength radiation from the sun, infrared ( ), also heats u p the water. The
microorganisms are a lso sensitive to high tem pera tures. It is this combination of U V r adiation and hea ting the
water that is used to treat the water.

In this problem, we will focus on the heating part. Assume you have 2 liters of water in a cylindrical bottle with
diameter, , and height, , initially at a temperature of . How long wi ll it take
for the water to heat up to .

To solve this problem, you will need to know the specific heat of water, which is .The
amount of energy the water will need in terms of heat can be written as , where is the mass of
water, is the specific heat, and is the change in temperature (in ). Assume the density of water is
.

Note that this question is only asking for an approximation and the answer will have a large tolerance for variation
so any subtle details are irrelevant.

Electromagnetic Waves and Force

Consider a traveling sinusoidal plane electromagnetic wave with magnetic field given by

     

that is incident on a totally absorbing surface of area that is lying in the plane. Determine a vector
expression for the time averaged force acting on the surface.

Write your answer using some or all of the following: , , B_0 for , lambda for , mu_0 for , hatk for .

 Electromagnetic Waves, Poynting Vector, Radiation Pressure and Force

Two square objects, each with sides of length , are located at opposite ends of a thin, extremely light rod. Both
squares are illuminated by a plane sinusoidal electromagnetic wave having an electric field of amplitude that
falls uniformly on both surfaces and strikes them perpendicular to the plane of their surfaces. One square is
covered with a perfectly absorbing coating, and the other is covered with a perfectly reflective coating (see
figure below). The electric field at time is shown in the figure below. Express your answers to the following
questions in terms of E_0 for , mu_0 for , , , lambda for , , , , , hati for , hatj for and hatk for as
needed.

(Part a) Write a vector expression for the electric field of this electromagnetic wave.

Part b) Write a vector expression for the magnetic field of this electromagnetic wave.
(

(Part c) Write a vector expression for the Poynting vector associated with this electromagnetic wave.

(Part d)) What is the magnitude of the time-averaged force acting on (i) the square covered with a perfectly
absorbing coating, (ii) the square covered with a perfectly reflective coating?

(i) =

(ii) =

   
Astronaut and Space Station

Suppose a space station is placed in orbit the same distance away from the sun as the earth but on the opposite
side of the sun from the earth in a circumpolar orbit (the orbit plane is perpendicular to the plane of the earth's
orbit around the sun). The average earth-sun distance is . An astronaut of mass
on a space walk loses contact with the space station. The spacesuit has a cross sectional area of
approximately . The mass of the sun is , and it emits radiation power at a rate
. The gravitational constant is .

(Part a) What is the radiation pressure of the sun on the astronaut's spacesuit? Assume it is perfectly reflecting.

Part b) What is the force from radiation pressure on the astronaut?

(

Part c) How does this force compare to the force of gravity on the astronaut due to the sun?

2/4
Energy Flow in a Coaxial Cable
A coaxial cable consists of two concentric long conducting cylinders of zero resistance ; the inner cylinder is solid
and has radius , the outer is a very thin shell with radius , and the length of both is , with , as shown in
the figure. The cable transmits DC power from a batter y to a load. The batter y provides an electromotive force
between the two conductors at one end of the cable, and the load is a resistance connected between the two
conductors at the other end of the cable. A current flows right to left in the outer conductor, through the
resistor and back to the battery (left to right) in the inner cylinder. Before the resistor is attached, the battery
charges the inner conductor to a charge and the outer conductor to a charge , and the batter y acts to
m ain tain those c harge s once curren t begins to flow.

Part a) Find the direction and magnitude of the electric field everywhere.
(
Write your answer using so me or all of the fo llowing:

, , , , , , epsilon_0 for , hatr for , hattheta for , and hatk for .

Fo r ,

For ,

Energy Flow in a Coaxial Cable

Part b) Find the direction and magnitude of the magnetic field everywhere. Assume that the current flows
(
only on the surface of the conductors (an explanation for why is given in the solution).

Write your answer using some or all of the following:

, , , , , mu_0 for , hatr for , hattheta for , and hatk for .

For ,

For ,

Energy Flow in a Coaxial Cable

(Part c) Calculate the Poynting vector in the gap in the cable (that is, ).

Write your answer using some or all of the following:

, , , , , , , epsilon_0 for , hatr for , hattheta for , and hatk for .

Part d) Since the electric and magnetic fields are independent of time, the total electromagnetic energy inside
(
the cable is constant and therefore the net flux of energy through the entire surface of the cable must be zero.
Use the Poynting vector, , found in Part c) to determine the surface where energy is flowing into the cable and
(
integrate over that surface to find the total inward power flow.

Write your answer using some or all of the following:

, , , , , and epsilon_0 for .

Power=

 Part e) Optional) How does your result in (d) compare to the power dissipated in the resistor?
(
(
Radiation Pressure

Suppose you want to 'sail' a space capsule through the solar system by using the force due to the radiation
pressure from the sun's light to balance the gravitational attraction from the sun. Imagine that the sail has a mass
, an area , is made from a perfectly reflective material, and is oriented face-on to the sun.

(Part a) What is the time average of the magnitude of the Poynting vector as a function of distance from the
sun? Express your answer using P for the power of the sun, , , for the speed of light, and as needed.

Part b) What is the radiation pressure on a purely reflecting object as a function of distance from the sun?
(
Express your answer using P for , , for the speed of light, and as needed.

Radiation Pressure

(Part c) What is the radiation force on a purely reflecting object of area as a function of distance from the
sun? Express your answer using P for , , for the speed of light, and as needed.

Part d) What is the critical value of the ratio at which the radiation force balances the gravitational
(
attraction from the sun at a distance from the sun? Enter a numerical value using the time averaged power
, the mass of the sun , and .

Superposition of Two Travelling Waves

Suppose you have an electromagnetic wave originally traveling in the -direction. It strikes the full surface of a
mirror head on and is fully reflected. The electric field of the incoming wave is given by:

(Part a) If we have that , how much momentum is imparted to the mirror in ?

Superposition of Two Travelling Waves

After the reflection, the electric field of the wave can now be described as (see solution for discussion of why the
wave has this form):

Part b) What is the associated magnetic field ?

(
For this symbolic check, write your answer using some or all of the following: E_0 for , , , omega for , , ,
hati for , hatj for and hatk for .

Superposition of Two Travelling Waves

(Part c) What is the Poynting vector of the combined wave described in (Part b) as a function of time?

First, use the trig identity to expand the expressions for

the electric and magnetic fields, and then use to simplify your answer for the
Poynting vector.

Write your answer in terms of E_0 for , , mu_0 for , , , omega for , and as well as unit vectors, hati for
, hatj for , hatk for ,.

Part d) What is the time-average of the Poynting vector?

(
Write your answer using some or all of the following: E_0 for , , , omega for , , , mu_0 for , hati for ,
hatj for and hatk for .