Electromagnetic nature of light

Maxwell showed that light is an electromagnetic wave consisting of an electric field

oscillating in step with a perpendicular magnetic field, both of which are perpendicular to
the direction of travel. These waves can travel through a vacuum at a constant speed of
2.998 × 108 m/s, the speed of light (c).

The wavelength is the distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs in a wave
(measured in meters in the SI system). The frequency is the number of wave cycles that
pass a specified point in space in a specified amount of time. A cycle corresponds to one
complete wavelength.

The amplitude corresponds to the magnitude of the wave's displacement. The amplitude
is related to the intensity of the wave, which for light is the brightness, and for sound is
the loudness.

Wavefront
Wave front is defined as the locus of all points in space having the same phase of a given
periodic vibration at a instant of time.
Properties of wavefront

1. The shape of wavefront depends on the shape of the source of disturbance.

2. A wavefront is always normal to the light rays.
3. A wavefront does not propagate in the backward direction.

There are 3 types of wavefronts:-

1. Spherical wavefront (spherical in shape)
2. Plane wavefront (linear in shape)
3. Cylindrical wavefront (cylinder in shape)

Spherical Wavefront

1. When the source of light is a point source the wavefront formed will be spherical
wavefront.
2. Point source means the source of light is so small that it is considered as point. It
can be considered as dimensionless.
3. For example: - Ripples in water are in the form of concentric circles which are
spherical wavefronts.

Plane Wavefront

1. When the small part of a spherical or cylindrical wavefront originates from a

distant source like infinity then the wavefront which is obtained is known as plane
wavefront.
2. For example: -Rays coming from infinity like Sun.
Cylindrical Wavefront

1. When the source of disturbance is a slit (i.e. line source) then the wavefront is
cylindrical because all the points are equidistant from the source and they lie on
the surface of the cylinder
2. For example: - In the figure we can see when rays of lightfall on a lens after
coming out of lens, they will converge at a point.
3. The waves are bending and converging at a point so the shape of the wavefront is
in the form of cylinder.
4. Many concentric circles are formed and the wavefront is in the form of cylinder.

Huygens Principle (Definition)

Huygens Principle states that: “Every point on a wavefront is in itself the source of
spherical wavelets which spread out in the forward direction at the speed of light.
The sum of these spherical wavelets forms the wavefront”.

Huygens Principle explains the following wave propagation behaviour:

1. Secondary sources form their own wavelets that are similar to the of the primary
source.
2. At any given point in time, the common tangent on the wavelets in the forward
direction gives the new wavefront.
3. The wavefront is the sum of the spherical wavelets.
However, this theory did not explain why refraction occurred in the first place. Secondly,
it could not explain how light carries energy as it travels.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Huygens Principle
Advantages:

1. Huygens concept proved the reflection and refraction of light.

2. The concepts like diffraction of light, as well as interference of light, were proved
by Huygens.

Disadvantage:

1. Concepts like emission of light, absorption of light and polarization of light were
not explained by Huygens principle.
2. Huygens principle failed to explain the photoelectric effect.

A serious drawback is that the theory proposes an all-pervading medium required to

propagate light called luminiferous ether. This was proved to be false in the 20th century.
Spatial and Temporal Coherence
Coherence: Coherence is a measure of the correlation between the phases measured at
different (temporal and spatial) points on a wave.

Temporal Coherence is a measure of the correlation of light wave’s phase at different

points along the direction of propagation – it tells us how monochromatic a source is.

Spatial Coherence is a measure of the correlation of a light wave’s phase at different

points transverse to the direction of propagation - it tells us how uniform the phase of a
wavefront is.