What is the Height of EM Radiation

AI Thread Summary
Wavelength and frequency are related through wave speed, but amplitude is an independent quantity and does not directly relate to either. Amplitude is often represented graphically as displacement, which can lead to confusion since they have different units. The misconception that light "wiggles" is clarified, emphasizing that this representation can mislead understanding of electromagnetic waves. Overall, amplitude, wavelength, and frequency are distinct properties of waves. Understanding these differences is crucial for accurate interpretations of wave behavior.
dbmorpher
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Hello,
I have always wondered, what the relation of wavelength and frequency to the amplitude is.
Is there an equation? Does it vary with different types of waves? Can it change?
 
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dbmorpher said:
what the relation of wavelength and frequency to the amplitude is.

There is none. They are independent quantities. (Frequency and wavelength are of course related by the wave speed.)
 
Amplitude is often graphically expressed as displacement (or height re: thread title). This is just a graphical convenience, obviously in reality amplitude and displacement are different things as they possesses different units.

Claude.
 
Light does not actually 'wiggle from side to side'. That picture is responsible for a lot of misconceptions about EM.
 

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