Amplitude of an oscillating electric field

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the amplitude of an oscillating electric field from a broadcast antenna. Initially, the amplitude at 10 km is given as 4.0 μV/m, and the user attempts to find the amplitude at 20 km using the relationship between electric field and intensity. It is clarified that while intensity decreases with the square of the distance (1/r^2), the electric field amplitude is proportional to the square root of intensity. Consequently, when the distance doubles, the intensity drops to one-fourth, leading to a new amplitude that can be derived without complex calculations. The key takeaway is that the amplitude can be quickly determined by recognizing the relationship between distance, intensity, and amplitude.
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Homework Statement
The amplitude of the oscillating electric field at your cell phone is 4.0 μV/m when you are 10 km east of the broadcast antenna. What is the electric field amplitude when you are 20 km east of the antenna
Relevant Equations
electric field
Homework Statement: The amplitude of the oscillating electric field at your cell phone is 4.0 μV/m when you are 10 km east of the broadcast antenna. What is the electric field amplitude when you are 20 km east of the antenna
Homework Equations: electric field

i've done

E=##\frac A {r^\left(2\right)}##

that in this case is ##4 \times 10^\left(-6 \right)=\frac A {10000^2} ##
i solve for A
##A= 4 \times 10^\left(-6\right) \times 10000^2##
then i divide ##A## by ##20000^2##
but i do not get the right result, why?
 
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The intensity drops off as ##1/r^2##, not the field.
 
Doc Al said:
The intensity drops off as ##1/r^2##, not the field.
Do i have to look in electromagnetic waves formulas?
##E\left(x,t\right)=E_0sin\left(kx-\omega t \right)##

in the data given there is not power so i cannot divide it by the half sphere surface, in order to get the intensity end from there the amplitude.
 
ok i got it
I start from this

##I=\frac 1 2 \times \epsilon_0 \times E^2##

##I= \frac P {half \space sphere \space area}##

## P=\frac {4 \times \pi \times r^2} 2 \times I##

in such way i get the power of the wave
dividing it by the half sphere area with radius 20000 meters i get the new average intensity
then

##E=\sqrt { \frac {I \times 2} {\epsilon_0 \times c}}\space## with ##\space c=3\times 10^8##
 
No need for any calculation. Since the distance doubles, the intensity drops to 1/4. Since the amplitude of the field is proportional to the square root of the intensity, you can immediately find the new amplitude.
 
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