Question

The y component of the electric field of an electromagnetic wave traveling in the +x direction through vacuum obeys the equation Ey = (375 N/C) cos [kx - (2.20 × 1014 rad/s)t]. What is the wavelength of this electromagnetic wave?

Answer 1

Answer: 8.6 µm

Explanation:

At a long distance from the source, the components (the electric and magnetic fields) of the electromagnetic waves, behave like plane waves, so the equation for the y component of the electric field obeys an equation like this one:

Ey =Emax cos (kx-ωt)

So, we can write the following equality:

ω= 2.2 1014 rad/sec

The angular frequency and the linear frequency are related as follows:

f = ω/ 2π= 2.2 1014 / 2π (rad/sec) / rad = 0.35 1014 1/sec

In an electromagnetic wave propagating through vacuum, the speed of the wave is just the speed of light, c.

The wavelength, speed and frequency, are related by this equation:

λ = c/f

λ = 3.108 m/s / 0.35. 1014 1/s = 8.6 µm.