- #1
rohanprabhu
- 414
- 2
The problem i have with understanding waves is that people just start drawing graphs of the sine function or some equally appaling function that oogles me over.
The problem with this is that people begin to correlate a graph as such the Electric field to be something spatial. They assume that something like an awesome wave *moves* through space. I used to think it in the same way.. and well.. it never got me anywhere.
So, here is what I tried to think it like: A wave is basically an 'influence' that oscillates at many different places in space as a function of time.
What it means is.. if there is an e.m. wave with an Electromagnetic component [itex]E = E_o\sin{(kx - \omega t)}[/itex] (i'm taking the plane wave solution for simplicity). Now, i keep a charge '[itex]q[/itex]' at say '[itex]l[/itex]' and the wave reaches that point at a particular time '[itex]\tau[/itex]. Can i say that the charge at that particular instant will feel a force given by [itex]F = qE_o\sin{(kl - \omega \tau)}[/itex] ?
Also, let's say we have a pivoted charge at '[itex]l[/itex] which is pivoted to some intrument such that when the charge experiences any force.. the instrument provides an opposing force instantaneously such that the charge doesn't move at all and also records the force provided.
If i tabulate the data from this instrument, will i get a periodic reading of results? Is this what a wave is all about? Am i thinking right or i am making a mistake?
Can i also do the same thing assuming a small current element on the y-axis and the magnetic field component being given by another plane wave equation?
The problem with this is that people begin to correlate a graph as such the Electric field to be something spatial. They assume that something like an awesome wave *moves* through space. I used to think it in the same way.. and well.. it never got me anywhere.
So, here is what I tried to think it like: A wave is basically an 'influence' that oscillates at many different places in space as a function of time.
What it means is.. if there is an e.m. wave with an Electromagnetic component [itex]E = E_o\sin{(kx - \omega t)}[/itex] (i'm taking the plane wave solution for simplicity). Now, i keep a charge '[itex]q[/itex]' at say '[itex]l[/itex]' and the wave reaches that point at a particular time '[itex]\tau[/itex]. Can i say that the charge at that particular instant will feel a force given by [itex]F = qE_o\sin{(kl - \omega \tau)}[/itex] ?
Also, let's say we have a pivoted charge at '[itex]l[/itex] which is pivoted to some intrument such that when the charge experiences any force.. the instrument provides an opposing force instantaneously such that the charge doesn't move at all and also records the force provided.
If i tabulate the data from this instrument, will i get a periodic reading of results? Is this what a wave is all about? Am i thinking right or i am making a mistake?
Can i also do the same thing assuming a small current element on the y-axis and the magnetic field component being given by another plane wave equation?