A plane electromagnetic wave travels in vacuum along...

A plane electromagnetic wave travels in vacuum along Z-direction. What can you say about the directions of its electric and magnetic field vectors? If the frequency of the wave is $30 \mathrm{MHz}$, what is its wavelength? (a) $20 \mathrm{~m}$ (b) $15 \mathrm{~m}$ (c) $10 \mathrm{~m}$ (d) $5 \mathrm{~m}$

A plane electromagnetic wave travels in vacuum along Z-direction. What can you say about the directions of its electric and magnetic field vectors? If the frequency of the wave is $30 \mathrm{MHz}$, what is its wavelength?
(a) $20 \mathrm{~m}$
(b) $15 \mathrm{~m}$
(c) $10 \mathrm{~m}$
(d) $5 \mathrm{~m}$

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Key Concepts

Transverse Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic waves are inherently transverse, meaning the oscillations of the electric and magnetic fields occur in directions perpendicular to the wave's direction of propagation. This attribute is central to understanding phenomena in electromagnetism and radio wave propagation.

Orthogonality of Electric and Magnetic Fields

In a propagating electromagnetic wave, the electric field and magnetic field are not only perpendicular to the direction of travel but also to each other. This mutual orthogonality ensures that the energy is transmitted efficiently and is a defining characteristic of electromagnetic wave dynamics.

Speed of Light, Frequency, and Wavelength Relationship

The relationship between the speed of light (c), frequency (f), and wavelength (?) in a vacuum is given by the equation c = f × ?. This formula is fundamental in determining one of these quantities when the other two are known, illustrating how electromagnetic waves propagate through space.

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