Electro Magnetic Field Theory Assignment# 3

Submitted by: Muhammad Waleed Wajdan Khan, 193787, BEE-8C

Explain how a high frequency sinusoidal signal is transmitted with the help of
an antenna in free space? The signal propagates as a sinusoidal current in a
conductor. But when the conductor is connected to the antenna, the signal
propagates as an electromagnetic wave in free space. Explain the phenomenon
behind this transition.

Answer:

If a charged particle oscillates at a equilibrium position, it is said to be

an accelerating charged particle. A high frequency sinusoidal is essentially a
set of accelerating charged particles. Such particles produce electromagnetic
waves. EMs waves travel through space at the speed of light. They transport
energy through space which may be delivered to charged particles far away.

Peak acceleration of a charge oscillating with magnitude ‘a’ and frequency

‘w’ is ‘aw2’

Let’s say that we attach an antenna to a battery instantly. At that instant, the
situation will be as follows:

There is no potential at the other end of the antenna.

After some time passes, the situation changes to the following:

There is some charge at the length of the antenna, even though it’s an open
circuit.

The electrons are being accelerated by the kinetic energy given to them by the
source. When the other end of the wire is reached, they can’t go any further
even though they have momentum in that direction. Still, the law of
conservation of energy is to be followed and this energy has to go somewhere.
This energy is dissipated in the form of radiations, which are our
electromagnetic waves basically.

A better and more technical answer is that when the voltage wave reaches the
other end of the antenna, the voltage wave is reflected back. The interactions
between the fields of the incoming wave and the wave that is reflected back
result in the generation of our electromagnetic waves.

At higher frequencies, the voltage is switched and there is no guarantee that

the voltage at each end of our conductor will remain the same. Same cannot
be said for a conductor with a low frequency. Therefore, a low frequency
oscillating signal cannot produce a significant electromagnetic wave.

The size of the antenna is also related to the wave generated. A small wire
cannot generate a significant electromagnetic field either.
References:

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/67241/why-does-a-simple-
conductor-start-to-emit-em-waves-when-carrying-a-signal