Electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic radiation (EM radiation or EMR) is ane o the fundamental phenomena o electromagnetism, behavin as waves propagatin through space, an an aa as photon pairticles travelin through space, carryin radiant energy. In a vacuum, it propagates at a characteristic speed, the speed o licht, normally in straicht lines. EMR is emitted an absorbed bi charged pairticles. As an electromagnetic wave, it haes baith electric an magnetic field components, which oscillate in a fixed relationship tae ane anither, perpendicular tae ilk ither an perpendicular tae the direction o energy an wave propagation.

The electromagnetic waves that compone electromagnetic radiation can be imagined as a self-propagatin transverse oscillatin wave o electric an magnetic fields. This diagram shaws a plane linearly polarized EMR wave propagatin frae left tae richt. The electric field is in a vertical plane an the magnetic field in a horizontal plane. The twa types o fields in EMR waves are always in phase wi each ither wi a fixed ratio o electric tae magnetic field intensity.