Electromagnetic

08 Waves
8.2 Displacement Current 8.4 Electromagnetic Spectrum
8.3 Electromagnetic Waves

Topicwise Analysis of Last 10 Years’ CBSE Board Questions (2016-2007)

12

10
Number of questions

0
2
Topic

8 Maximum weightage is of Electromagnetic Waves. 8 Maximum SA I and SA II type questions were

asked from Electromagnetic Waves.
8 Maximum VSA type questions were asked from
Electromagnetic Spectrum. 8 No LA type questions were asked till now.

KEY POINTS

8 Displacement Current : The current which
comes into play in the region, wherever the
electric field and hence the electric flux is
changing with time. It is given by
df E
I D = e0
dt
where e0 is the permittivity of free space and
df E is the rate of change of electric flux.
dt
X Ampere’s circuital law for conduction current
during charging of a capacitor was found
inconsistent. Therefore, Maxwell modified
Ampere’s circuital law.

Physics Baba
YOUTUBER
8 Maxwell’s equations : The basic principle of where m0 and e0 are the permeability and
electromagnetism can be formulated in terms permittivity of free space respectively.
of four fundamental equations known as X The speed of electromagnetic wave in a medium
Maxwell’s equations. is
X Maxwell’s equations are : 1
– Gauss’s Law for electrostatics v=
  q me
∫ E ⋅ dS =
e0 where m and e are permeability and permittivity
– Gauss’s Law for magnetism of the medium respectively.
  1 c
∫ B ⋅ dS =
0 = v =
– Faraday’s Law of electromagnetic induction m 0m r e 0 e r mr er
  df X Properties of electromagnetic waves
∫ E ⋅ dl =
− B
dt – These waves do not carry any charge.
– Maxwell-Ampere’s circuital Law – These waves are not deflected by electric
  and magnetic fields.
df
m 0  I + e 0 E 
∫ B ⋅ dl = – They travel with the speed of light c
 dt 
(= 3 × 108 ms–1) in vacuum.
8 Electromagnetic waves : E.M. waves are those – The frequency of electromagnetic wave does
waves in which there is a sinusoidal variation not change when it goes from one medium
of electric and magnetic field at right angles to another but its wavelength changes.
to each other as well as at right angles to the – These waves are transverse in nature, hence
direction of wave propagation. they can be polarised.
X For a plane progressive electromagnetic wave X Production of electromagnetic waves
propagating along + z direction, the electric – Maxwell showed that an electric charge
and magnetic fields can be written as oscillating harmonically with frequency
E = E0 sin (kz – wt) u produces electromagnetic waves of the
B = B0 sin (kz – wt) same frequency.
– An electric dipole is a basic source of
Y

E
electromagnetic waves.
X Energy density of electromagnetic waves
X – Electromagnetic waves carry energy as
 they travel through space and this energy is
Z B
equally shared by electric field and magnetic
X In electromagnetic wave, the electric and field of electromagnetic wave.
magnetic fields vary with space and time and – The energy density of the electric field is
have the same frequency and are in the same 1 2
u E = e 0 Erms
phase. 2
X The amplitudes of electric and magnetic fields – The energy density of magnetic field is
in free space, in electromagnetic waves are 2
1 Brms
uB =
related by 2 m0
E0 – Average energy density of electromagnetic
= E0 cB = 0 or B0 wave is
c
The speed of electromagnetic wave in free space 1 2 1 2
X = <u> e 0 Erms + Brms
is 2 2m 0

E0 1 X Intensity of electromagnetic wave : It is defined

=c = = 3 × 108 m/s as energy crossing per unit area per unit time
B0 m0e0
perpendicular to the direction of propagation

Physics Baba
YOUTUBER
 of electromagnetic wave. The intensity of 2U
electromagnetic wave is p= (complete reflection)
c
1 2
I = < u > c = e 0 Erms c 8 Radiation pressure : It is defined as the
2
X Momentum of electromagnetic wave pressure exerted by the electromagnetic wave
– An electromagnetic wave carries linear on a surface.
momentum. X If I is the intensity of the incident electromagnetic
– Electromagnetic wave strikes the surface radiation, then the radiation pressure for
at normal incidence and transports a total normal incidence is
energy U to the surface in a time t, if the I
surface absorbs all the incident energy, Pradiation = (perfectly absorbing surface)
c
the total momentum p transported to the
surface is 2I
Pradiation = (perfectly reflecting surface)
c
U
p= (complete absorption)
c 8 Electromagnetic spectrum : The orderly
– If the surface is a perfect reflector and distribution of electromagnetic radiations
incidence is normal then the momentum according to their wavelength or frequency is
transported to the surface is known as electromagnetic spectrum.

Type Wavelength Frequency Production Detection

range range (in Hz)
Radio waves > 0.1 m < 3 × 109 Rapid acceleration and Receiver’s aerials
deceleration of electrons
in aerials
Microwaves 0.1 m to 1 mm 3 × 108 to 3 × 1011 Klystron valve or Point contact diodes
magnetron valve
Infra-red 1 mm to 700 nm 3 × 1011 to 4 × 1014 Vibration of atoms and Thermopiles, Bolometer,
molecules Infrared photographic film
Visible light 700 nm to 400 nm 4 × 1014 to 8 × 1014 Electrons in atoms emit The eye, Photocells,
light when they move Photographic film
from one energy level to a
lower energy level
Ultraviolet 400 nm to 1 nm 8 × 1014 to 8 × 1016 Inner shell electrons in Photocells, Photographic
atoms moving from one film
energy level to a lower
level
X-rays 1 nm to 10–3 nm 1 × 1016 to 3 × 1021 X-ray tubes or inner shell Photographic film, Geiger
electrons tubes
Gamma < 10–3 nm > 3 × 1021 Radioactive decay of the Photographic film,
rays nucleus Ionization chamber

Physics Baba
YOUTUBER