What exactly happens with electromagnetic waves?

Question

Are electromagnetic waves the resultant Energy from the interaction of magnetic and electric fields being carried through space, or do they occur directly from the interaction of te two fields, like the two fields traveling through space and that's what the wave is? If an electromagnetic wave occurs from the two waves interacting while traveling through space, and electric fields require electrons, then technically isn't the wave transporting matter rather than just energy? I apologize for so many questions, I just have so many, so if somebody could give me the jist of what exactly happens in an electromagnetic wave, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Answer 1

Light is neither electric or magnetic. A wave is a disturbance in a Medium causing a moving force.

An electric field is really a charge potential energy at a particular location of space.

Magnetic wave is the motion of magnetic field in the substance of space.

Answer 2

You can't have one without the other. Picture if you will, an EM wave front, electrical occupying the Y axis, the magnetic wave occupies the x axis.

An RF wave front is not about the flow of electrons like in a conductor.

Answer 3

Electric fields DO NOT REQUIRE electrons.



For light the energy IS the interaction of BOTH the electric field and the magnetic field with each other, traveling in a direction perpendicular to BOTH fields.. A photon. NOT AN ELECTRON, has energy and supposedly has ZERO rest mass. NO electrons are required for the electric field OR the magnetic field to exist.



The energy is from the interaction of the two fields with each other.. Light is BOTH a particle (photon) AND a wave AT THE SAME TIME.. NO ELECTRONS REQUIRED.



E = hv



E = energy

h = Planck constant

v = frequency

Answer 4

points

Answer 5

No

and

No

Answer 6

Two of Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism can be mathematicaly combined to form a wave equation. It describes EM radiation. An EM wave is electric and magnetic fields creating each other. A changing electric field creates a magnetic field.

Answer 7

All space is filled with a magnetic field that has some value at every location, and all space is filled with an electric field that has some value at every location. The waves are the radiating interaction between these fields. It doesn't require any matter. Or at least in terms of classical physics it doesn't require any matter, just an initial change in value of a field due to the motion of a charge or whatever. I think that the quantum explanation would be in terms of virtual photons and the like but TBH that isn't going to help with understanding classical fields.

Answer 8

(First, to correct a misconception in your question, an electric field can exist in empty space; it, like a magnetic field, is a property of space; it contains no electrons.)



Yes, basically, an EM wave consists of coupled, oscillating electric and magnetic fields traveling through space. Because there is really no material analogy for the process, the only way to really grasp it is to get into the math.

Answer 9

"and electric fields require electrons,"



No, they don't. This is your error. There is no such statement anywhere in physics, I'm not sure where you got it.



The electric field is induced by the changing magnetic field. It is a product of the field itself. No electrons.

Answer 10

An EM wave has an electrical part and a magnetic part.

Answer 11

Electromagnetic waves are not electrons, they are photons. They are produced by accelerating particles such as electrons.

Answer 12

A changing electric field (E) creates a changing magnetic field (H).

A changing magnetic field (H) creates a changing electric field (E).

When E and/or H oscillate they are mutually sustaining and an electromagntic (EM) wave is formed.



Classically, an accelerating charge (e.g. an electron) generates EM waves.

Quantum mechanically, a charge changing states (e.g. electrons changing energy-levels in an atom) produces EM waves (photons).