Electromagnetic Energy Motions

Overview Notes

The following is an excerpt from my book “FundamentalProperties of Electromagnetic Energy”. Note that illustrations and text boxes have been removed for this article. The formatting is also much more sophisticated in the actual book. The full book is available here from Amazon: https://www.createspace.com/4637848

From the Book

Introduction

What exactly is a radio wave? At its most basic, a radio wave is a pulsating ball of energy that travels through space. Each song, speech, or other message which is broadcast through electromagnetic radiation is a distinct entity. It is separate from all other signals emitted before and after that message. Each one has a definite size, travels in its own way, and acts independently of any other signal.

Not really a Wave

Although commonly referred to as a wave, the “radio wave” is in fact not a wave at all. The object we are discussing is a pulsating ball of energy, which can be tracked as a wave. We will discuss the specifics and explain clearly what is going on throughout this book. For this reason it is better to use the term “electromagnetic energy” rather than radio wave. However, because of its common usage, we will use both terms throughout the book.

Characteristics and Motions of Electromagnetic Energy

Each burst of electromagnetic energy has the following important characteristics and motions:

1. Distinct Object like a Baseball

Each burst of electromagnetic energy is like a baseball. It is a distinct object of specific size which can be thrown into the air. This object will fly through the air until it hits a wall or is caught by a catcher.

2. Pulsating like a heart

Each burst of electromagnetic energy exists very much like a human heart. It is a distinct object which pulsates. Each pulse looks something like a balloon blowing up then deflating. The pulsation occurs in four directions: two directions for the “electro” part, and two directions for the “magneto” part.

And just as different animals have different heart rates so each burst of electromagnetic energy pulsates at different rates. The rate of the pulse is what determines the frequency.  The frequency of the pulse is a function of the energy level. When a burst of energy pulsates faster (greater frequency), then that burst has higher energy. 

3. Tracked as a Wave

Electromagnetic energy is not a wave, but it can be tracked as a wave. This distinction is important. Just as Mars is not an ellipse - Mars is actually a planet which can be tracked as an ellipse - the burst of electromagnetic energy is not a wave, rather it is a pulsating ball of energy which can be tracked as a wave. Again, this distinction is important. It is the combination of two motions - pulsating motion and traveling straight through the air - which creates the overall motion which can be tracked as a wave. All wave like properties come from the combination of those two motions.

4. Spreads out like Pizza Dough

Electromagnetic energy is rarely emitted as one, singular burst. Rather, many EM bursts are usually emitted at the same time. This becomes a group of photons, sometimes referred to as “packets”.

This group starts out as one entity, almost like one big ball. Yet it spreads out like pizza dough. Each group starts as a close collection of particles, then spreads out in a perfect circle. As the group of EM bursts travel through the air, they spread out thinner and thinner – like a very thin pizza crust.

When you spread pizza dough out too thin, some holes will appear. In the same way, the original large grouping of EM bursts will eventually spread out so thin that holes of empty space appear between each burst. This is the phenomenon which produces the night sky – enormous stars visible to us only as tiny dots, with large spaces between all the other photons the star emitted – versus our Sun which is very bright because it is close and many photons are still grouped together.

Combining the Characteristics

Now let us take a look at the overall characteristics of this creature we call electromagnetic radiation.

• Each signal (such as a note of music which is broadcast over the radio) is a distinct entity unto itself. This entity is an independent object, which contains a specific amount of energy.
• Each burst of electromagnetic energy is primarily a ball of energy, similar to a baseball. Each burst can be emitted and received (just as a ball can be thrown and caught). An EM burst travels through the air in a straight line from point A to point B, until it is caught, absorbed, or reflected. 
• Each burst of electromagnetic energy pulsates like a heart, with pulses that resemble balloons inflating and deflating.
• Individual bursts spread out like pizza dough. Most emission starts as thousands of photons grouped together. As these EM bursts travel, they spread out thinner, and evenly, in a perfect circle.

Therefore, the individual EM burst is: a ball of energy, traveling through the air like a baseball, and pulsating at the same time. Any individual burst begins as part of a grouping of identical bursts, yet as they travel through space, the individual EM bursts spread outward evenly, in the exact pattern of pizza dough spreading out.

These are the overall motions of the bursts of electromagnetic energy. All other qualities, practical effects, and applications of electromagnetic radiation come from these main characteristics, or a combination thereof.

Future Discussions

These are the main characteristics and motions of electromagnetic energy.

We will discuss those primary characteristics and many other concepts throughout the series of books on electromagnetic energy.

Purchase the Full Book Here

This is an excerpt from my book “Fundamental Properties of Electromagnetic Energy”. The full book is available from Amazon: https://www.createspace.com/4637848