- #1
Fsnorglepuff
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I would like some help in visualizing electromagnetism in three dimensions. I have researched extensively and have come up with nothing but sine waves and pond ripples. But just like sine waves representing sound, which are three dimensional compression waves, do not represent how sound actually looks, the perpendicular sine waves of electric and magnetic fields do not represent how electromagnetism actually looks (which I do realize is somewhat paradoxical, trying to visualize the very thing by which we are granted the very capability).
I know that electric fields are three dimensional, and so are magnetic fields, like spheres. How can they have direction (the vectors on sine waves) if they are "spherical" and thus pulling or repulsing from all around? Is the electric field positive or negative? How can they be perpendicular to one another (a magnetic field has poles, but an electric one?)? When either an electric or magnetic field moves and creates the other, where is it located? For example, a moving magnetic field creates an electric field - where is the electric field? Superimposed on the magnetic one, or offset?
And how do electromagnetic fields propagate through space? Sorry if this is a lot to answer - my dilemma over visualizing fluctuating electromagnetic waves has led to the subsequent problems of not understanding its propagation and so forth. And after looking over related topics, I have noticed a great deal of equations being given - I wouldn't understand any of that. All I really need is a picture or description of electric and magnetic waves propagating through a vacuum in THREE dimensions, not one or two as is so popular :)
Thank you so much, any answer would be enormously appreciated!
I know that electric fields are three dimensional, and so are magnetic fields, like spheres. How can they have direction (the vectors on sine waves) if they are "spherical" and thus pulling or repulsing from all around? Is the electric field positive or negative? How can they be perpendicular to one another (a magnetic field has poles, but an electric one?)? When either an electric or magnetic field moves and creates the other, where is it located? For example, a moving magnetic field creates an electric field - where is the electric field? Superimposed on the magnetic one, or offset?
And how do electromagnetic fields propagate through space? Sorry if this is a lot to answer - my dilemma over visualizing fluctuating electromagnetic waves has led to the subsequent problems of not understanding its propagation and so forth. And after looking over related topics, I have noticed a great deal of equations being given - I wouldn't understand any of that. All I really need is a picture or description of electric and magnetic waves propagating through a vacuum in THREE dimensions, not one or two as is so popular :)
Thank you so much, any answer would be enormously appreciated!
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