Why is sunlight considered electromagnetic radiation?

In summary, sunlight is called electromagnetic radiation because it is a wave of energy that includes visible light, infrared light, heat, and ultraviolet light.
  • #1
bizarre
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0
I was just wondering why is the sunlight called the electromagnetic radiation. I posted this on other science forum but got no satisfactory answers. MY friends even suggested me to look at some detail on quantum mechanics and told me to look on quantum nature and refer http://www.physics-physicsdiscussion.blogspot.com" [Broken] . I want to know if this is helful site

newspaper,
 
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  • #2
An oscilating magnetic field generates an oscilating electrical field. That oscilating electrical field in turn generates an oscilating magnetic field. If the two are set into motion together, they are self-perpetuating; kind of a "chicken-and-the-egg" situation. These types of fields, consisting of oscilating electrical and magnetic fields sustaining each other, are called "electromagnetic," and they include visible light, infrared light, heat, ultraviolet, radio, gamma... the whole range of what we call the "Electromagnetic spectrum."

(Didn't check the link; maybe somebody else might?)
 
  • #3
bizarre said:
I was just wondering why is the sunlight called the electromagnetic radiation. I posted this on other science forum but got no satisfactory answers. MY friends even suggested me to look at some detail on quantum mechanics and told me to look on quantum nature and refer http://www.physics-physicsdiscussion.blogspot.com" [Broken] . I want to know if this is helful site

newspaper,

I suggest u to read faraday-Maxwell-Einstein's works. you'll probably find out that it is correct to speak about a tensor field F (Electromagnetic) instead of two vector's field E and B. This was the firts unified field theory.
Jackson "Classical Electrodynamic" is a good reference.
bye
 
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  • #4
Er... Jackson's text is not a "good reference" for someone who does not know why light is an electromagnetic wave.

I suggest trying something more elementary, such as the Hyperphysics webpage.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/waves/emwv.html

Light is an electromagnetic wave because it has an oscillating E and B vectors and is obtained by solving the Maxwell equation, resulting in a differential equation having a "wave" form.

The nature of this question has nothing to do with quantum physics, so this thread has been moved to the Classical Physics section.

Zz.
 

What is electromagnetic radiation?

Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that is all around us. It includes visible light, radio waves, microwaves, X-rays, and gamma rays. It is created when an electric field and a magnetic field oscillate together.

What are the properties of electromagnetic radiation?

Electromagnetic radiation has several properties, including wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs of a wave. Frequency is the number of waves that pass a point in one second. Amplitude is the height of a wave from its resting position.

How does electromagnetic radiation travel?

Electromagnetic radiation travels through space as a wave, without the need for a medium. This means it can travel through a vacuum, such as outer space. The speed of electromagnetic radiation is approximately 3 x 10^8 meters per second, which is also the speed of light.

How does electromagnetic radiation affect living organisms?

Electromagnetic radiation can have both positive and negative effects on living organisms. For example, visible light is necessary for photosynthesis in plants and allows humans to see. However, high levels of radiation, such as X-rays and gamma rays, can be harmful to living cells and DNA.

How is electromagnetic radiation used in technology?

Electromagnetic radiation is used in a variety of technologies, including communication, medicine, and energy production. Radio waves are used for wireless communication, microwaves are used for cooking, and X-rays are used for medical imaging. Other uses include solar panels, lasers, and radar technology.

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