How is an electromagnetic wave produced? Draw a sketch of a plane electromagnetic wave propagating along the X-axis, depicting the directions of the oscillating electric and magnetic fields.
Answer: By an accelerating/oscillating charge. Sketch: E oscillating along y, B along z, propagation along x.
Solution
An electromagnetic wave is produced by an accelerating or oscillating electric charge, which radiates coupled time-varying electric and magnetic fields. For propagation along x, the sketch shows the electric field oscillating in the x--y plane, Ey=E0sin(kx−ωt), and the magnetic field oscillating in the x--z plane, Bz=B0sin(kx−ωt), in phase and mutually perpendicular.