They say that electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to each other in electromagnetic waves but i am not getting how will they look together?
Two waves perpendicular to each other!
Can anyone give me an example of two waves perpendicular to each other from a daily life?
All i get from pictures is two sine waves perpendicular to each other but they are confusing. Can anyone provide me a 3D view of electromagnetic wave?
Best Answer
The fields are perpendicular, not the waves. Looking at a typical web search you get:
Let's say ${\bf \hat k} = {\bf \hat x}$ so the plane wave is:
$$ {\bf \vec E}(x, y, z, t) = E\sin{(kx-\omega t)} {\bf \hat z} $$
and similarly for ${\bf \vec B}$.
The picture only shows the field at $y=0$, $z=0$, and $t=0$. Of course, the plane wave does not depend on $y$ or $z$, so to construct a 3D "view" of the wave, just translate the picture (at fixed $x$) to anywhere, and that's what the field looks like.
Of course, translation in $t$ is just propagation.