Does light follow a helical path ?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter shiveeshfoteda
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Light Path
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the nature of light propagation, specifically whether light follows a helical path. Participants explore concepts related to electric and magnetic fields, circular polarization, and the interpretation of wave diagrams.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the overall sum of sinusoidal waves could result in a helical shape due to the perpendicular nature of the electric and magnetic fields.
  • Others argue that this concept relates to circular polarization, which involves the intensity vector describing a helix, but does not imply that light itself follows a helical path.
  • A later reply clarifies that while circular polarization exists, light in its simplest form as a plane wave does not follow a helical path, emphasizing that the diagrams used to illustrate these concepts can be misleading.
  • One participant acknowledges a potential over-interpretation of the original post, noting that polarization describes field orientation rather than the trajectory of light.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express disagreement regarding whether light follows a helical path, with some asserting it does not while others suggest a connection through circular polarization. The discussion remains unresolved on this point.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the interpretation of wave diagrams and the definitions of terms like "helical path" and "circular polarization," which may influence participants' understanding.

shiveeshfoteda
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
as the Electric field is perpendicular to magnetic field , would the over all sum of the sinusoidal waves would turn up to be a helical shape ?
 
Science news on Phys.org
It sounds like you are talking about circular polarization. Yes, you can have circular polarized light.
 
But "circularly polarized" means that the "intensity vector" of the light wave describes a helix around the path of the light. Light does NOT "follow a helical path".
 
shiveeshfoteda said:
as the Electric field is perpendicular to magnetic field , would the over all sum of the sinusoidal waves would turn up to be a helical shape ?

No.

Those diagrams you see, in which the E and the B field are both sinusoidal curves oriented perpendicular to the direction of movement, can be very confusing. They aren't pictures/illustrations and nothing is moving sideways - they're just graphs that allow you to read off the magnitude and direction of the field at a particular point.

The light wave (in the simplest case of a plane wave, which is what those diagrams are describing) is a plane wave. If the wave is traveling in the +x direction, then for every point in any plane of constant x (and varying y and z values) at any given time the direction and magnitude of the E field will be the same and will vary sinusoidally over time; and likewise for the B field.
 
HallsofIvy said:
But "circularly polarized" means that the "intensity vector" of the light wave describes a helix around the path of the light. Light does NOT "follow a helical path".
Yes, perhaps I was over-interpreting the OP. The polarization describes the orientation of the fields, not the path.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad How Does Light Remain After Polarization Despite Changes in Its Electric Field?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
Undergrad Why does light take a longer path in a rarer medium?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Undergrad Trying to Understand the Polarization of light
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
14K
Graduate Propagation of light in a vacuum
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
5K
Graduate What is known about helical flight paths in bullets?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
Undergrad Brewster's angle and the intensity of reflected light
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
High School Discover the Reason Why Light Moves Slower in Water | Fermilab Video Explanation
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
Graduate Difference between spin and helicity for a photon
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
6K
High School How does light have energy to follow infinite paths?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Graduate Is light ACTUALLY a sinsusoidal wave?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K