1.

What is the highest frequency for which antennas can be made (approximately)
1012 to 1013 Hz.
2. What is the condition of the electrons in the transmitting antenna when maximum
magnetic field is being transmitted?
A maximum current is flowing, so the electrons have maximum speed up and
down the antenna. The electric current produces the magnetic field.
3. How can the electric portion of the electro-magnetic wave be detected?
It can be detected by an antenna similar to the transmitting antenna except that a
detector of electric current replaces the voltage source.
4. How can the magnetic field portion of an electro-magnetic wave be detected?
The magnetic wave is best detected by placing a loop of wire (with its ends hooked
to a current detector) in the path of the wave. The changing magnetic field causes a
current in the loop.
5.The small ozone layer on the top of the atmosphere is crucial for human survival.
Why?
The ozone in the atmosphere is confined to the ozone layer, some 50-80 km above
the ground. The ozone layer blocks the passage of the ultra-violet radiations; x-rays and
y-rays from the solar and other extra-terrestrial sources and effectively protects us from
the dangerous and harmful portions of solar radiations as they cause genetic damages
to living cells. Practically all radiations of wave length less than 3 x 10-7m are absorbed
by the ozone layer. This explains why ozone layer on the top of the atmosphere is
crucial for human survival.
6.How does "Green House Effect" affect the temperature of the earth's surface ?
Green house effect serves to keep the earth's surface warm at night.
7.How do we make television broadcasts for larger coverage and for long distance?
By using (i) tall antennas which is familiar landmark in many cities and (ii) using
artificial satellites called geostationary satellites. Since television signals are of high
frequency and are not reflected by ionosphere so we use satellites to get them reflected
& transmission of TV signals can be used for larger coverage as well as for long
distance.

8. Scientists put x-ray astronomical telescope on the artificial satellite orbiting above the
earth's atmosphere whereas they build optical and radio-telescopes on the surface of the
earth. Why ?
X-rays have very high frequency and much smaller wavelength. These rays get
absorbed by the earth's atmosphere. On the other hand, optical (visible) radiations and
radio-waves can pass through the atmosphere. That is why optical and radio telescopes
can be installed on the earth's surface.
9. F o r a n e le ctro m a g n e tic w a ve , w rite th e re la tio n s h ip b e tw e e n a m p litu d e o f
e le c tric a n d m a g n e tic fie ld s in fre e sp a c e .
[H in ts If E o is th e a m p litu d e o f a n e le c tric fie ld a n d B o is th e a m p litu d e o f th e
a s s o c ia te d m a g n e tic fie ld in fre e s p a c e th e n c =

E0
w h e re c is th e s p e e d o f lig h t
B0

in fre e s p a c e i.e . 3 x 1 0 8 m /s .
10. The charging current for a capacitor is 0.25 A. What is the displacement current
across its plates?
Hints: Displacement current = Charging current = 0.25 A]
11. What is a ground wave? How does it differ from a sky wave?
Ans. A signal emitted by an antenna from a certain point can be received at another point of
the surface of the earth in two ways. The wave which travels directly following the surface of the
earth is called ground nave. The wave that can reach the same point after being reflected
from the ionosphere is called sky wave.
12. Why short wave communication over long distances is not possible via ground waves?
|Hints: Because the wave gets attenuated.]
1 3 . A re c o n d u ctio n a n d d isp la c e m e n t cu rre n ts th e s a m e ?
[H in t: N o ; th e y a re d iffe re n t b u t th e y a re e q u a l .
1 4 . It is n e c e s s a ry to u s e sa te llite s fo r lo n g d ista n c e T V tra n sm is s io n . W h y?
It is s o b e c a u se te le visio n sig n a ls a re n o t p ro p e rly re fle cte d b y th e
io n o sp h e re . T h e re fo re , fo r re fle c tio n o f s ig n a ls sa te llite s a re n e e d e d a s re fle c tio n is
e ffe c te d b y sa te llite s .
1 5 . O p tic a l a n d ra d io te le s co p e s a re b u ilt o n g ro u n d b u t X -ra y a stro n o m y is
p o ss ib le o n ly fro m sa te llite s o rb itin g th e e a rth . W h y?

A tm o sp h e re a b s o rb s X -ra ys, w h ile visib le a n d ra d io w a ve s c a n p e n e tra te it.

T h a t is w h y o p tica l a n d ra d io te le s c o p e s ca n w o rk o n e a rth 's s u rfa ce b u t X -ra y
a s tro n o m ica l te le s co p e s m u s t b e u s e d o n s a te llite s o rb itin g th e e a rth .
1 6 . If th e e a rth d id n o t h a ve a n a tm o s p h e re , w o u ld its a ve ra g e s u rfa c e te m p e ra tu re
b e h ig h e r o r lo w e r th a n w h a t it is n o w ?
A n s. T h e te m p e ra tu re o f th e e a rth w o u ld b e lo w e r b e c a u s e th e g re e n h o u s e e ffe c t
o f th e a tm o s p h e re w o u ld b e a b se n t.
.
1 7 . W h a t is th e e q u a tio n fo r th e s p e e d o f e le c tro m a g n e tic w a ve s in fre e sp a c e ?
C=

0 0

1 8 . T h e w a ve le n g th o f e le c tro m a g n e tic ra d ia tio n is d o u b le d . W h a t w ill h a p p e n to

th e e n e rg y o f th e p h o to n ?
T h e e n e rg y w ill b e h a lve d b e ca u s e fre q u e n cy w ill b e h a lve d .
1 9 . N a m e th e p a rt o f e le c tro m a g n e tic s p e c tru m to w h ic h w a ve s o f w a ve le n g th (i)
1 A a n d (ii) 1 0 -2 m b e lo n g . U s in g th e re la tio n T = (0 .2 9 c m ) K , o b ta in th e
c h a ra c te ristic ke lvin te m p e ra tu re c o rre sp o n d in g to th e se tw o w a ve le n g th s.
(i) X -ra ys , (ii) M icro w a ve s
A g a in , (i) T =

0.29 cm
= 29 10 8 K
10
1 10 cm

(ii)

T=

0.29 cm
= 0.29 K
1 cm

2 0 . G ive a s im p le a rg u m e n t to su g g e s t th a t a n a c ce le ra te d ch a rg e m u s t e m it
e le c tro m a g n e tic ra d ia tio n
A n s. W h e n c h a rg e m o ve s w ith co n s ta n t ve lo c ity, th e m a g n e tic fie ld d o e s n o t
c h a n g e w ith tim e . S o , it ca n n o t p ro d u c e a n e le ctric fie ld . W h e n c h a rg e is
a c c e le ra te d , b o th e le c tric a n d m a g n e tic fie ld s c h a n g e w ith tim e a n d s p a ce , o n e
b e co m in g a so u rc e o f a n o th e r. T h is g ive s rise s to e le ctro m a g n e tic w a ve .
2 1 . S h o w th a t th e a ve ra g e e n e rg y d e n sity o f th e E fie ld e q u a ls th e a ve ra g e e n e rg y
d e n s ity o f th e B fie ld .

A n s. E n e rg y d e n s ity in E fie ld ,

1
uE = 0 E 2
2

uB =
E n e rg y d e n sity in B fie ld ,-------------U s in g E = c B a n d c =

0 0

1
B2
2 0

, uE = uB.

2 2 . O n w h a t fa c to rs d o e s its ve lo c ity in va c u u m d e p e n d ?
A n s. E le ctro m a g n e tic w a ve s c o n sist o f sin u so id a l va ria tio n o f e le c tric a n d
m a g n e tic fie ld ve c to rs . T h e fie ld ve c to rs vib ra te w ith th e sa m e fre q u e n cy a n d a re
in th e s a m e p h a s e . T h e fie ld ve c to rs a n d th e d ire ctio n o f p ro p a g a tio n a re a ll
m u tu a lly p e rp e n d ic u la r. T h e ve lo c ity o f e le c tro m a g n e tic w a ve s in va c u u m
d e p e n d s u p o n a b s o lu te p e rm e a b ility o a n d a b so lu te p e rm ittivity 0 .N o te th a t c
=

0 0

2 3 . W h a t is th e n a m e a s s o c ia te d w ith th e fo llo w in g e q u a tio n s ?

&

&

(i )

E. dS =

(iii )

E. dl

&

&

&

q
0

&

(ii ) B. dS = 0
d & &
B. dS
dt

&

&

(ii ) B. dS = 0 0

d & &
E.dS + 0 I
dt

(i) G a u ss 's la w

(ii) N o p a rtic u la r n a m e

(iii) F a ra d a y's la w

(iv) A m p e re 's la w .

2 4 . E le c tro m a g n e tic w a ve s w ith w a ve le n g th

(i) 1 a re u se d to tre a t m u s cu la r stra in
(ii) 2 a re u se d b y a F M ra d io sta tio n fo r b ro a d ca stin g
(iii) 3 a re u se d to d e te c t fra c tu re in b o n e s
(iv) 4 a re a b s o rb e d b y th e o zo n e la ye r o f th e a tm o sp h e re .
Id e n tify a n d n a m e th e p a rt o f th e e le c tro m a g n e tic sp e c tru m to w h ic h th e se
ra d ia tio n s b e lo n g . A rra n g e th e s e w a ve le n g th s in d e c re a sin g o rd e r o f m a g n itu d e .
A n s. (i) 1 - in fra re d

(ii) 2 - ra d io w a ve s

(iii) 3 > X -ra ys

(in ) 4 > u ltra -vio le t ra ys 2 > 1 > 4 > 3 .

2 5 . If yo u fin d clo s e d lo o p s o f B in a re g io n in sp a c e , d o e s it n e ce ss a rily m e a n th a t

a c tu a l ch a rg e s a re flo w in g a c ro s s th e a re a b o u n d e d b y th e lo o p s?

A n s. N o t n e ce ss a rily. A d isp la ce m e n t cu rre n t s u c h a s th a t b e tw e e n th e p la te s o f a

c a p a c ito r th a t is b e in g c h a rg e d c a n a lso p ro d u ce lo o p s o f B
2 6 . A clo s e d lo o p o f B is p ro d u c e d b y a c h a n g in g e le c tric fie ld . D o e s it n e c e s sa rily
m e a n th a t E a n d

dE
a re n o n -ze ro a t a ll p o in ts o n th e lo o p a n d in th e a re a
dt

e n clo s e d b y th e lo o p ?
A n s. N o t n e c e ss a rily. A ll th a t is n e e d e d is th a t th e to ta l e le c tric flu x th ro u g h th e
a re a e n clo s e d b y th e lo o p s h o u ld va ry in tim e . T h e flu x c h a n g e m a y a ris e fro m
a n y p o rtio n o f th e a re a . E ls e w h e re E o r

dE
m a y b e ze ro . In p a rtic u la r, th e re n e e d
dt

b e n o e le c tric fie ld a t th e p o in ts w h ich m a k e th e lo o p .

2 7 . W h y is it th a t in d u c e d e le c tric fie ld s d u e to ch a n g in g m a g n e tic flu x a re m o re
re a d ily o b s e rva b le th a n th e in d u ce d m a g n e tic fie ld s d u e to ch a n g in g e le ctric
fie ld s?
A n s. T h e m a g n itu d e o f th e m a g n e tic fie ld d u e to d isp la ce m e n t cu rre n t is to o s m a ll
to b e e a s ily o b s e rva b le . T h is e ffe c t c a n o f c o u rse b e in cre a s e d b y in c re a sin g th e
d isp la ce m e n t cu rre n t. [In a n A C c irc u it, th is c a n b e d o n e b y in c re a sin g .]
O n th e o th e r h a n d , th e e ffe ct o f in d u c e d e le c tric fie ld d u e to c h a n g in g m a g n e tic
flu x c a n b e in cre a s e d sim p ly b y ta k in g m o re a n d m o re n u m b e r o f tu rn s in th e co il.
T h e in d u c e d e m fs in d iffe re n t tu rn s o f th e s a m e co il a d d u p in se rie s.
2 8 . A va ria b le -fre q u e n c y A C s o u rc e is c o n n e cte d to a c a p a c ito r. W ill th e
d isp la ce m e n t cu rre n t in c re a se o r d e cre a s e w ith in cre a s e in fre q u e n c y?
A n s. In c re a s e in fre q u e n cy c a u se s d e cre a s e in im p e d a n ce o f th e c a p a c ito r a n d
c o n s e q u e n t in cre a se in th e cu rre n t w h ic h e q u a ls d is p la c e m e n t c u rre n t b e tw e e n
th e p la te s .
2 9 . S o m e s c ie n tists h a ve p re d ic te d th a t a g lo b a l n u c le a r w a r o n th e e a rth w o u ld
b e fo llo w e d b y a s e ve re 'n u c le a r w in te r' w ith a d e va sta tin g e ffe c t o n life o n e a rth .
W h a t m ig h t b e th e b a s is o f th is p re d ictio n ?
A n s. T h e c lo u d s p ro d u c e d b y a g lo b a l n u c le a r w a r w o u ld p e rh a p s co ve r
s u b s ta n tia l p a rts o f th e s ky p re ve n tin g so la r lig h t fro m re a c h in g m a n y p a rts o f th e
g lo b e . T h is w o u ld ca u s e a 'w in te r'.

30. What is the contribution of the Greenhouse effect towards the surface temperature of
the earth?
Ans. The infrared radiation emitted by the earth's surface keeps the earth warm. In the
absence of this effect, the surface temperature of earth would be lower.
31. Why the small ozone layer on top of the stratosphere is crucial for human survival?
Ans. The small ozone layer on the top of the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiations, yrays etc. from the sun. It also absorbs cosmic radiations. So, these radiations, which can
cause genetic damage to the living cells, are prevented from reaching the earth. Thus, the
small ozone layer on top of the stratosphere is crucial for human survival.
32. A plane electromagnetic wave travels in vacuum along z-direction. What can you say
about the directions of its electric and magnetic field vectors? If the frequency of the wave
is 30 MHz, what is the wavelength?
Ans. E and B lie in the x-y plane and are mutually perpendicular. Wavelength,

3xlO 8
m =10 m
3010 6

33. Given below are some famous numbers associated with electromagnetic radiation in
different contexts in physics. State the part of the e m spectrum to which each belongs.
(i) 21 cm (wavelength emitted by atomic hydrogen in interstellar space).
(ii) 1057 MHz [frequency of radiation arising from two close energy levels in hydrogen;
known as Lamb shift].
(Hi) 2.7 K temperature associated with the isotropic radiation filling all space-thought to be
a relic of the 'big-bang origin of the universe.
(iv) 5890 A - 5896 A [double lines of sodium].
(v) 14.4 keV [energy of a particular transition in 57Fe nucleus associated with a famous
high resolution spectroscopic method (Mossbauer spectroscopy).
Ans. (i) Radio (short wavelength end) (ii) Radio (short wavelength end) (Hi) Microwave (iv)
Visible (Yellow) (v) X-rays (or soft y-ray) region.
34. Electromagnetic waves in a cavity with conducting walls can exist only in certain
modes i.e., they cannot exist, for example, with any arbitrary wavelength. Suggest a
simple reason why this should be so.
Ans. The waves must satisfy a boundary condition. The electric field should be zero on the
walls of the conductor. This restricts the possible modes. [It is something like the restricted
modes of a string fixed at two ends.]

7. Write the order of frequency range and one use of the following e. m radiations.
i)Microwaves ii) Ultra-violet rays iii) gamma rays
a. i) Microwaves :- 109 to 1012 Hz approx used in radars/microwave ovens
ii) Ultra violet rays:-1015 to 10 18 Hz approx. sterilizing the medical instruments
iii) gamma rays:- 10 18 to 10 22 Hz in radio therapy ,treating cancer and tumours.
8. How are the following e.m radiations produced, Mention one used of them.
i) radio waves ii ) infra red rays iii) x rays
a. i) radio waves :produced by oscillating circuits having inductor and
capacitor. Used in radio and TV communication.
ii)infra red rays: produced by all hot bodies treating muscular strains/ solar
appliances etc.,
iii) gamma rays: produced when high energy electrons bombards metals. . to
detect fracture in bones/ study crystal structure