LECTURE 9

ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES & SPECTRUM

Instructor: Kazumi Tolich
 Lecture 9
2

¨ Reading chapter 25.1 to 25.3

¤ Production and propagation of of EM waves
¤ Speed of light
¤ The Doppler effect
¤ Spectrum
 Quiz: 1
3

¨ Suppose you charge a comb and a transparency. The comb exerts an

electric force on the transparency, whose magnitude depends on the
separation distance. Now suppose you shake the comb so that the
separation distance is changing. Does the transparency reacts
instantaneously?
A. Yes.
B. No. It takes some finite time.
 Quiz: 9-1 answer
4

¨ No. It takes some finite time.

¨ The charged comb creates an electric field around it, and the charged
transparency feels force due to this electric field.
¨ When you shake the comb, the comb, the electric field it creates is
disturbed, and this disturbance travels.
¨ A traveling disturbance in an electromagnetic field is an
electromagnetic wave.
¨ When the wave reaches the transparency, it reacts.
 Production of EM waves
5

¨ Accelerated charges radiate

electromagnetic waves.
¨ In a dipole antenna, the 𝐄 field parallel to
the rod exists near the rod. The 𝐁 field
encircles the rods due to the current in the
rods.
 Quiz: 2
6

¨ The detection of radio waves can be accomplished with either a

dipole antenna or a loop antenna. The dipole antenna detects
the _____ field of the wave, and the loop antenna detects the
_____ field of the wave.
A. electric; electric
B. electric; magnetic
C. magnetic; magnetic
D. magnetic; electric
Quiz: 9-2 answer/Demo: 1
¨ The dipole antenna detects the electric field of the wave, and the loop antenna
detects the magnetic field of the wave.
¨ The E field pushes the electrons in the dipole antenna, inducing an AC current in the
antenna. The changing B flux through the loop induces a current in the loop.
¨ The current induced in the antenna can be selectively amplified by the receiver.
¨ Demo: Cenco 3-meter Transmitter
Quiz: 3
¨ An electromagnetic wave is propagating in the +𝐳% direction, and its electric
field is pointing in the +𝐲% direction at a given position and time. In which
direction is the magnetic field pointing at the same location and instant?
A. +𝐱%
B. −𝐱%
C. +𝐲%
D. −𝐲%
E. +𝐳%
F. −𝐳%
Quiz: 9-3 answer
¨ −𝐱%
¨ The electric and the magnetic fields in an electromagnetic wave are perpendicular to
each other, and to the direction of propagation; the directions can be deduced by
the right-hand rule.
 Propagation of EM waves
10

¨ Electromagnetic waves of all frequencies, 𝑓, and wavelengths, 𝜆, propagate

through a vacuum at the same speed:

1
𝑐= = 3.0  ×  107  m⁄s
𝜖/ 𝜇/

¨ Astronomical distances are often measured in light-years—the distance light

travels in a year.
¨ In materials, such as air and water, light slows down.
 The Doppler effect
11

¨ For electromagnetic waves in a vacuum, a distinction between

the motions of the source and the receiver cannot be made.
;
¨ The observed frequency, 𝑓 , when a source and a receiver are
moving towards/away from each other with speed 𝑢 is

>
𝑓; = 𝑓 1 ±
?
 Quiz: 4
12

¨ A distant star is moving away from the earth. Is the speed of

light from that star increased, decreased, or is it unchanged?
A. Increased
B. Decreased
C. Unchanged
 Quiz: 9-4 answer
13

¨ Unchanged
@
¨ The speed of light in vacuum is equal to 𝑐 = = 3.0  ×  107  m⁄s, and is
AB C B
independent of the speed of the source.
 Quiz: 5
14

¨ A distant star is moving away from the earth. Is the wavelength of the
light from that star shifted? If so, to a longer or shorter wavelength?
A. No.
B. Yes. Longer wavelength
C. Yes. Shorter wavelength
 Quiz: 9-5 answer
15

¨ Yes. Longer wavelength

¨ If an object is receding from another, its frequency is Doppler shifted
>
to lower frequency: 𝑓 ; = 𝑓 1 − ? .
?
¨ 𝜆; =
DE
 Quiz: 6
16

¨ Arrange the following types of electromagnetic radiation in

order of increasing propagation speed in vacuum: gamma rays,
infrared, ultraviolet, visible light.
 Quiz: 9-6 answer
17

¨ gamma rays = infrared =  ultraviolet = visible

¨ The full range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves is called the electromagnetic spectrum.
¨ Electromagnetic waves of all frequencies, 𝑓, and wavelengths, 𝜆, propagate through a vacuum at the same
speed: 𝑐 = 𝑓𝜆
¨ X-ray machines, tanning beds, microwave ovens, and radio receivers all use EM wave of different
frequencies.
¤ X-ray machines: “soft” x-ray (low frequency x-ray)

¤ Tanning beds: ultraviolet

¤ Microwave ovens: microwave

¤ Radio receivers: radio

Quiz: 7

¨ Which of the following does/do not result in the production of

electromagnetic waves? Choose all that apply.
A. Charges moving at a constant velocity.
B. Charges that are speeding up or slowing down.
C. Charges moving around in a circle.
D. Electrons that make a transition from one atomic level to another.
E. An oscillating electric current.
Quiz: 9-7 answer
¨ Charges moving at a constant velocity.
¨ EM waves are produced when free charges accelerate or when electrons bound to
atoms and molecules make transitions to lower energy states.
¤ Radio waves are produced by electric currents oscillating in radio transmission antennas.
¤ Infrared waves are radiated by electrons that are randomly accelerated by frequent
collisions of thermally excited molecules.
¤ Visible light waves are produced by transitions of bound atomic charges.
¤ x rays are produced by the deceleration of electrons when they crash into a metal target,
by transitions of electrons in the atoms, or by accelerating electrons in synchrotrons.
¤ Gamma rays are produced in nuclear reactions, a secondary radiation from various
atmospheric interactions with cosmic ray particles.
 Milky Way in different frequencies
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