Unit 2

Force, Motion, and

Energy
Image from: http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/lightning-
arizona/
Do you get scared of lightning? Or do you find it amazing how lightning occurs? This phenomenon
can be easily explained when you have a working knowledge of physics. In fact you will be able to
explain how things work through physics!
In this unit you will explore more about how light behaves in a particular situation. "ou will learn
about electromagnetic waves and how these waves are useful in our daily lives.
Chapter 4
Electromagnetic Spectrum
#ave you seen a rainbow in the sky lately? It looks amazing right? #ow is this band of colors
formed in the sky? $s you already know droplets of water that condensed in the clouds can serve as
prisms that can disperse light into different colors.
In this chapter we will look closely on why there are colors in light the behavior of
electromagnetic waves and how it affects us.
Learning Goals
Differentiate mechanical waves from electromagnetic waves.
Discuss the development of electromagnetic theory.
Describe light as an electromagnetic wave.
%ompare the relative wavelengths of different forms of electromagnetic waves.
%ite examples of practical applications of different regions of electromagnetic waves such as
the use of radio waves in telecommunication.
&xplain the effects of electromagnetic radiation on living things and the environment.
4.1 Electromagnetic a!es
Mechanical a!es !s. Electromagnetic a!es
a!es can be defined as a disturbance in space and time. They can be categorized based on their
ability to transmit energy in vacuum.
Mechanical "a!es are types of waves that need a medium 'i.e. solid li(uid or gas particles) to
propagate or transmit energy. This is why the speed of mechanical waves varies depending on the
medium. The most common example of a mechanical wave is sound. *ound cannot travel through an
empty space. Thus you need air particles so people can hear you when you talk. Other examples of
mechanical waves are water waves and waves on a +ump rope or slinky.
To the artist: Draw two people talking at a distance. Show lines depicting sound
waves travelling from one person to another
You are ale to hear the voice of your classmate ecause there is air etween you. If you remove
all the air particles etween you and your classmate! you would not hear anything.
Electromagnetic "a!es on the other hand do not re(uire a medium to propagate. They can
transmit energy through a vacuum and travels on a constant speed. "ou will learn more about
electromagnetic waves as you proceed in this chapter.
LETS REVIEW!
". #hat are waves$
%. #hat are the classi&cations of waves according to their aility to transmit
energy$
KNOW MORE!
#aves can e also classi&ed ased on the direction of the movement of their
particles relative to the direction of the wave propagation. 'hey can either e
transverse or longitudinal.
#he $e!elopment o% Electromagnetic #heory
During the ,-..s electricity and magnetism exist as two separate fields.
This was until Michael Faraday in ,-/, discovered electromagnetic
induction. In his experiment he hypothesized that a changing magnetic
field is needed to induce a current in a circuit. To test his hypothesis he
connected a coil to a galvanometer moved a magnet back and forth
inside the cylinder and observed the deflection in the galvanometer.
Figure 4.1 (araday)s e*periment
0araday noticed that when the magnet is moved back and forth the galvanometer needle moves.
This indicated that a current is induced in the coil. #e also noticed that when the magnet stops
moving the galvanometer needle immediately returns to zero. 1ith this he concluded that a moving
magnetic field induces an electric current.
LETS DO THIS!
ur!ose
Identify that a changing magnetic &eld induces electric current.
What "ou Nee#
+opper wire ,"--m long.
/ollow cylinder ,empty tissue paper roll.
0ar magnet
1alvanometer
What "ou Nee# to Do
". 2ake a coil using the "--m long copper wire and the hollow cylinder.
%. +onnect the ends of the copper wire to the galvanometer.
3. 2ove the ar magnet closer to the hollow cylinder. 4serve the
galvanometer.
5. Insert the ar magnet slowly into the hollow cylinder. 2ove the magnet
ack and forth while oserving the galvanometer.
$ui#e %uestio&s
". #hat happens to the galvanometer needle when the ar magnet is moving
ack and forth inside the hollow cylinder$
%. #hat happens to the galvanometer need when the ar magnet stops
moving$
Ma&"ell's E(uations
In ,-23 *cottish physicist )ames Clar* Ma&"ell unified the field of
electricity and magnetism. #e showed that all electric and magnetic
phenomena can be explained using four e(uations known as
Maxwells equations.
4axwell5s e(uations can be summarized in words. They are6
,. Gausss law for electricity which gives us the relationship
between electric field and electric charge7
8. Gausss law for magnetism which is a similar law for the
magnetic field7 except that unlike electric field lines magnetic
field lines are always continuous7
/. Faradays law which shows that an electric field is produced by a changing magnetic field7 and
9. Amperes law w hich tells us that a magnetic field is produced by an electric currentan electric
current produces a magnetic field.
:sing these e(uations 4axwell hypothesized that the reverse of 0araday5s law '/) must be true
based on the idea of symmetry in nature. This means that if a changing magnetic field produces an
electric field then a changing electric field will produce a magnetic field. *ince the effects in most
cases are so small 4axwell realized that it is difficult to be proven experimentally so he focused on
the mathematical aspects of these ideas.
0rom his calculations 4axwell5s hypothesis was proven to be true. #e also arrived with another
conclusion. If a changing magnetic field produces an electric field then the electric field itself can be
changing. The changing electric field in turn will produce a magnetic field. This will then produce a
wave with both electric and magnetic field components and propagates in space hence the
production of electromagnetic waves.
ELE'TROM($NETI' W(VES are waves that have oth
electric and magnetic &eld components and can propagate in
a vacuum.
:sing this ;9 can be written as6
9. $ magnetic field is produced by an electric current 'Amperes law) or by a changing electric
field.
LETS REVIEW!
3. #hat are the four 2a*well)s e6uations$
5. /ow do you descrie electromagnetic waves$
7ames +lark 2a*well
,"83"9"8:;.