The electric field,
,in an electromagnetic wave is oriented in what direction with respect to its associated magnetic field,
?
A) anti-parallel to
B) perpendicular to
C) at a 45° angle to
D) parallel to

Question

The electric field, 
,in an electromagnetic wave is oriented in what direction with respect to its associated magnetic field, 
?
A) anti-parallel to 
B) perpendicular to 
C) at a 45° angle to 
D) parallel to

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The electric field and magnetic field in an electromagnetic wave are perpendicular to each other, so the direction of the electric field is always perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field. Therefore, the electric field in this wave is perpendicular to the magnetic field, so the answer is B.

The Electric Field