Physics II / Maxwell’s Equations and Electromagnetic Waves
Practice question · Estimate

An electromagnetic wave in vacuum has an electric field amplitude of 6.0×1026.0 \times 10^2 V/m. Set the magnetic field amplitude, in units of 10610^{-6} T, using c=3.0×108c = 3.0 \times 10^8 m/s.

Estimate on a scale from Zero (0) to 10 microtesla (10).

Hints
  1. In a plane wave the two amplitudes are related by the speed of light.
  2. Divide 6.0e2 by 3.0e8.
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2 (answers within ±0.3 count)

Why

B=E/c=6.0×102/3.0×108=2.0×106B = E/c = 6.0\times10^2/3.0\times10^8 = 2.0\times10^{-6} T. The magnetic amplitude is smaller by the enormous factor cc, which is why the electric force dominates the interaction of light with matter.

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