An electromagnetic field is a more comprehensive entity than its individual electric and magnetic field components.
- Electromagnetic fields are fundamental and intrinsic properties of space.
- Electromagnetic fields are regions of space where the influence of electric and magnetic forces can be detected.
- They play a pivotal role in explaining the transmission of electromagnetic waves (e.g., visible light) across space.
- Changes in a magnetic field result in the emergence of an electric field, and vice versa.
- Electromagnetic fields do not have a specific frequency or wavelength. They are continuous and can exist even without the presence of electromagnetic waves.
- Electric fields and magnetic fields are always perpendicular (at 900) to one another.
- Dynamic electric fields and dynamic magnetic fields are interconnected elements of electromagnetic waves.
- Electromagnetic waves are a specific manifestation of electromagnetic fields in motion.
- Electromagnetic waves can be described as discrete packets of energy called photons, which carry the energy corresponding to the wave’s frequency.
- They are produced by the oscillation of charged particles including electrons, which generates changing electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space.
- Electromagnetic waves are characterized by specific frequencies and wavelengths, which determine the type of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., radio waves, visible light, X-rays) they represent.
- These waves transport energy and information from one location to another.
- Electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light and exhibit wave-like behaviour, including reflection, refraction, and interference.
- Unlike electromagnetic fields, electromagnetic waves require the presence of both electric and magnetic fields that are in phase with each other.