- #1
cosmogrl
- 27
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My textbook (Serway and Jewett, Physics for Scientists and Engineers) says that Emax/Bmax = E/B = c. And that E and B are in phase. My question is, if they are in phase, they both reach zero at the same time. At that point, E/B = 0/0 and not c. I know I am missing something, but not sure what.
E = Emax cos (kx - wt) and B = Bmax cos (kx - wt), so if they are in phase, they both equal zero at the same time (when cos = 0) and max at the same time. My brain is having a hard time understanding what happens when they both equal zero, how does that tell me that E/B = c?
E = Emax cos (kx - wt) and B = Bmax cos (kx - wt), so if they are in phase, they both equal zero at the same time (when cos = 0) and max at the same time. My brain is having a hard time understanding what happens when they both equal zero, how does that tell me that E/B = c?