Maxwell’s Equations

Maxwell’s Equations
Let’s summarize all the electromagnetic equations we have learned so far, both integral and
differential forms:

1. Gauss’ Law for electric field:

qenc 
E   S
E  dA 
0
or E 
0

2. Gauss’ Law for magnetic field:

B   S
B  dA  0 or  B  0 (no magnetic monopole charges)

3. Faraday’s Law of Induction:

 B
 C
E  ds  
t S
B  dA or E  
t

4. Ampere’s Law and Maxwell’s Law of Induction:

d E
 C
B  ds  0 0
dt S
E  dA  0ienc or   B  0 0
t
 0 j
Q.2 Derive Electromagnetic Wave Equation
Solution 2*
Let’s assume we solve these equations in a region without any electric charges present (=0) or
any currents (j=0).

We Start with Maxwell’s Law:

E
  B   0 0
t
Now take the curl of this equation:

     B    0 0    E 
t
Now it can be shown as a proof in vector calculus that:
   B     B   2B
where  B  0 by Gauss’ Law for magnetic fields. And since Faraday’s Law tells us:
B
E  
t
then we get:

 2B
 B  0 0 2
2

t

which is a second order differential equation for each of the 3 components of the magnetic field.
(It is a wave equation it turns out).

Now we can follow a similar derivation for the electric field starting with Faraday’s Law:
B
E  
t
Now take the curl of this equation:

    E     B 
t
Now using the same vector calculus proof:
   E    E  2E
where  E  0 by Gauss’ Law for electric fields in vacuum. And since Maxwell’s Law tells us:
E
  B   0 0
t
then we get:

 2E
 E  0 0 2
2

t
 Q.Derive wave Wave Equation)
Solution 2:
The general form of the wave equation is:

 2 2 2  1 2
 2   2 
F  F
 x y z  v 2 t 2
2

1
where we have expanded the Laplacian (  2 ) operator and defined v   c  3 108 m/s .
0 0
Solutions to this partial differential equation have the general form:

F  x, t   Fm sin k  x  t   

But let’s use complex notation to see how the solution works:

F  x, t   Fm exp i  k  x  t  

where we just take the imaginary or real part to get the physical solution.

Plugging into the wave equation yields:

i 2  k x 2  k y 2  k z 2  F  x, t   2  i  F  x, t 
1 2

v
2
 k2 
v2


v
k

Thus, the solution to the wave equation that is a consequence of Maxwell’s equations in vacuum
is a sinusoidally varying function for both the electric and magnetic fields. It is a traveling wave
solution, which becomes more apparent if we write the solution in this form:
E  x, t   Em exp ik   x  vt  (or Em sin k   x  vt  )
B  x, t   B m exp ik   x  vt  (or B m sin k   x  vt  )

Here:
 Em , Β m  amplitude of electric and magnetic fields
 angular frequency (rad/s) =  / f
f  cyclic frequency (s -1 , Hz )
T period (s)
k wavenumber (m -1 )  2 / 
 wavelength (m)
 1
v = =c phase velocity of wave (m/s)
k  0 0

Q Prove that electromagnetic waves ransversely polarized, and the electric and magnetic
components are perpendicular to each other.

Consider Gauss’ Law:

  E  0     Em exp  ik  x  t    0
 k  Em  0

Which implies that the electric field direction is perpendicular to the velocity direction,or wave
direction. We can derive the same thing for magnetic field direction:

  B  0     B m exp  ik  x  t    0
 k  Bm  0

Now consider Faraday’s Law:

B
E  
t
 ik  Em exp  ik  x  t   iB m exp  ik  x  t 
 k  Em  B m

Note that the last step can only be satisfied if the electric and magnetic waves have exactly the
same time and space form (same phase, velocity, wavenumber).
Now both Em and Bm are perpendicular to k, and by this equation Bm is perpendicular to Em as
well!
 k  Em  B m

This is an important feature of electromagnetic waves. They are transversely polarized, and the
electric and magnetic components are perpendicular to each other.

Q. define any one rletion between electric and magnetic field and justify that wide range of
electromagnetic wave phenomena are described by just different choices of the frequency

Moreover, the magnitudes are related:

Em 
 c
Bm k

Thus, there is only one independent wave solution. If you know the form of the electric field, the
magnetic field is completely specified by the above relations.

Note that there is another way to represent the above equation if we substitute in for the angular
frequency and the wavenumber:
  2 f

k  2 /  
 f c (or v more generally)

Now the wide range of electromagnetic wave phenomena are described by just different choices
of the frequency (or alternatively wavelength, as it is not independent). Lowest in frequency
(largest wavelength) are radio waves (kHz-MHz), increasing to microwaves (GHz), infrared
radiation (1014 Hz), visible light (~1015Hz), ultraviolet light, x-rays, and finally gamma rays!