Does an EM wave bend in a B-field?

In summary, according to Thomson, the electron was not an EM wave because it bended in a magnetic field. This is probably because the electron has a charge and behaves differently than other waves on the larger scale.
  • #1
nonequilibrium
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I read somewhere that Thomson (1897) concluded that the electron was not an EM wave because it bended in a magnetic field and that it had been proven that EM waves did not do this. Is this true?
 
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  • #2
Why would a wave bend in a magnetic field?

A CHARGE will experience a force, but the E&M wave is a "wave", a propagating electric-magnetic field. They can superpose.
 
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Indeed, but my confusion arose from this: if in QM an EM wave is interpreted as a probability wave, just like an electron is interpreted as a probability wave, then due to the latter statement, a probability wave can experience a B-field. Now indeed a photon has no charge, but an EM-wave does have an E-field, so it might intermingle? And if it doesn't, is the reason a photon doesn't bend in a B-field because it has no charge, or more fundamentally that it is a wave?
 
  • #4
I can't explain it at the QM level, but I know that fields can superpose (shown by the linearity of Maxwell's equations).

True that electron is interpreted as a wave, however I don't think we can say "electron is a wave, photon is a wave, they're the same". Obviously the electron has a charge and it behaves differently than other waves on the larger scale. That's probably the reason, I'm not sure.
 
  • #5
If a photon could be bent in a magnetic field it would have to have its own B field or E field for this to happen .
 
  • #6
cragar: isn't that exactly what a photon has?
 
  • #7
Then why can't a photon emit photons.
 
  • #8
Indeed, but my confusion arose from this: if in QM an EM wave is interpreted as a probability wave, just like an electron is interpreted as a probability wave, then due to the latter statement, a probability wave can experience a B-field. Now indeed a photon has no charge, but an EM-wave does have an E-field, so it might intermingle? And if it doesn't, is the reason a photon doesn't bend in a B-field because it has no charge, or more fundamentally that it is a wave?
Field wave and probability wave are different.
Probability wave is more of a mathematical construct than physical reality (although it depends on interpretation). It contains all information about physical state.
EM field is a fundamental field of nature. It is definitely out there, waving happily, making light, radio waves and other nice things. (Unlike probability wave, which is gone once you look at the particle.)
 
  • #9
Dead Boss said:
Field wave and probability wave are different.
Probability wave is more of a mathematical construct than physical reality (although it depends on interpretation). It contains all information about physical state.
EM field is a fundamental field of nature. It is definitely out there, waving happily, making light, radio waves and other nice things. (Unlike probability wave, which is gone once you look at the particle.)

That's what I thought at first, but I read that Bohr interpreted an EM wave as a probability wave. Was Bohr wrong the first time around?
 

Related to Does an EM wave bend in a B-field?

1. How does a B-field affect the path of an EM wave?

When an EM wave travels through a region with a B-field, it experiences a force due to the magnetic field. This force causes the path of the EM wave to bend, resulting in a change in direction.

2. Does the intensity of the B-field affect the amount of bending in an EM wave?

Yes, the intensity of the B-field does have an impact on the bending of an EM wave. The stronger the B-field, the greater the force on the EM wave and therefore the more significant the bending will be.

3. Can an EM wave still travel in a straight line in the presence of a B-field?

No, an EM wave will always experience some amount of bending when traveling through a B-field. However, the degree of bending may be negligible depending on the strength of the B-field and the initial direction of the EM wave.

4. What other factors besides the B-field can affect the bending of an EM wave?

The bending of an EM wave can also be influenced by the frequency and wavelength of the wave, as well as the angle at which it enters the B-field. These factors can all impact the magnitude and direction of the force that the B-field exerts on the EM wave.

5. Is the bending of an EM wave in a B-field reversible?

Yes, the bending of an EM wave in a B-field is a reversible process. Once the EM wave exits the B-field, it will resume traveling in a straight line in its original direction. This is because the force from the B-field is only acting on the EM wave while it is within the B-field.

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