Question types

Electromagnetic Waves question types

350 questions across 8 question groups — pick any mix to generate a Physics paper with step-by-step answer keys.

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8
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Sample Questions

Electromagnetic Waves questions

One sample from each question group in this chapter. Select any group above to see the full set with answer keys.

Q 1M.C.Q [1M]1 Mark
The oscillating electric and magnetic vectors of an electromagnetic wave are oriented along
  • A
    The same direction but differ in phase by 90°
  • B
    The same direction and are in phase
  • C
    Mutually perpendicular directions and differ in phase by 90°
  • Mutually perpendicular directions and are in phase

Answer: D.

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Q 3M.C.Q [1M]1 Mark
The ozone layer in the atmosphere absorbs:
  • A
    Only the radiowaves
  • B
    Only the visible light
  • C
    Only the γ-rays
  • D
    X-rays and ultraviolet rays
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Q 4M.C.Q [1M]1 Mark
Which of the following has/have zero average value in a plane electromagnetic wave?
  • A
    Both magnetic and electric field
  • B
    Electric field only
  • C
    Magnetic energy
  • D
    Electric energy
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Q 5M.C.Q [1M]1 Mark
If a source is transmitting electro-magnetic waves of frequency 8.196×106Hz, then the wavelength of the electro-magnetic waves transmitted from the source will be:
  • A
    5090cm
  • B
    4050cm
  • C
    4230cm
  • D
    3660cm
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Directions: In the following questions, the Assertions (A) and Reason(s) (R) have been put forward. Read both the statements carefully and choose the correct alternative from the following:
Assertion: When variable frequency AC source is connected to a capacitor, displacement current increases with increase in frequency.
Reason: As frequency increases conduction current also increases.
  1. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
  2. Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
  3. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.
  4. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect.
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Two statements are given-one labelled Assertion (A) and the other labelled Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
  1. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
  2. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
  3. A is true but R is false.
  4. A is false and R is also false.
Assertion: X-rays in vacuum travel faster than light waves in vacuum
Reason: The energy of X-rays photon is less than that of light photon.
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Two statements are given-one labelled Assertion (A) and the other labelled Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
  1. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
  2. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
  3. A is true but R is false.
  4. A is false and R is also false.
Assertion: Electromagnetic waves exert pressure called radiation pressure.
Reason: Electromagnetic waves carries energy.
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Two statements are given-one labelled Assertion (A) and the other labelled Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
  1. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
  2. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
  3. A is true but R is false.
  4. A is false and R is also false.
Assertion: The microwaves are better carriers of signals than radio wave.
Reason: The electromagnetic waves do not required any material medium for propagation.
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Two statements are given-one labelled Assertion (A) and the other labelled Reason (R). Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) as given below.
  1. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
  2. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
  3. A is true but R is false.
  4. A is false and R is also false.
Assertion: In an electromagnetic wave, magnitude of magnetic field vector is much smaller than the magnitude of electric field vector.
Reason: Energy of electromagnetic waves is shared equally by the electric and magnetic fields.
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shows a capacitor made of two circular plates each of radius 12 cm, and separated by 5.0 cm. The capacitor is being charged by an external source (not shown in the figure). The charging current is constant and equal to 0.15A.
  1. Calculate the capacitance and the rate of charge of potential difference between the plates.
  2. Obtain the displacement current across the plates.
  3. Is Kirchhoff’s first rule (junction rule) valid at each plate of the capacitor? Explain.
​​​​​​​
  • A
    Radius of each circular plate, r = 12 cm = 0.12 m

    Distance between the plates, d = 5 cm = 0.05 m

    Charging current, I = 0.15 A

    Permittivity of free space, $\varepsilon_0=8.85\times10^{-12} \ \text{cm}=0.12 \ \text{m}$

    1. Capacitance between the two plates is given by the relation,

    $\text{C}=\frac{\varepsilon_0\text{A}}{\text{d}}$

    Where,

    A = Area of each plate $=\pi\text{r}^2$

    $\text{C}=\frac{\varepsilon_0\pi\text{r}^2}{\text{d}}$

    $=\frac{8.85\times10^{-12}\times\pi\times12^2}{0.05}$

    $=8.0032\times10^{-12}\text{F}=80.032\text{pF}$

    Charge on each plate, q = CV

    Where,

    V = Potential difference across the plates

    Differentiation on both sides with respect to time (t) gives:

    $\frac{\text{dq}}{\text{dt}}=\text{C}\frac{\text{dV}}{\text{dt}}$

    But, $\frac{\text{dq}}{\text{dt}}=\text{current }(I)$

    $\therefore\frac{\text{dV}}{\text{dt}}=\frac{I}{\text{C}}$

    $\Rightarrow\frac{0.15}{80.032\times10^{-12}}=1.87\times10^9\text{V}/\text{s}$

    Therefore, the change in potential difference between the plates is $1.87\times10^9\text{V}/\text{s}$.

    1. The displacement current across the plates is the same as the conduction current. Hence, the displacement current, id is 0.15 A.
    2. Yes

    Kirchhoff’s first rule is valid at each plate of the capacitor provided that we take the sum of conduction and displacement for current.

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Suppose that the electric field part of an electromagnetic wave in vacuum is $\text{E}=\{(3.1 \ \text{N}/\text{C}\cos[(1.8 \text{rad}/ \text{m}) \text{y}+(5.4\times10^6 \ \text{red}/\text{s}\text{t}]\hat{\text{i}}\}$.
  1. What is the direction of propagation?
  2. What is the wavelength λ ?
  3. What is the frequency ν ?
  4. What is the amplitude of the magnetic field part of the wave?
  5. Write an expression for the magnetic field part of the wave.
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A plane electromagnetic wave of frequency $25 MHz$ travels in free space along the $x$-direction. At a particular point in space and time, $E =6.3 \hat{ j } V / m$. What is $B$ at this point?
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The magnetic field in a plane electromagnetic wave is given by $B_y=\left(2 \times 10^{-7}\right) T \sin \left(0.5 \times 10^3 x+1.5 \times 10^{11} t\right)$.
(a) What is the wavelength and frequency of the wave?
(b) Write an expression for the electric field.
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How does Ampere-Maxwell law explain the flow of current through a capacitor when it is being charged by a battery? Write the expression for the displacement current in terms of the rate of change of electric flux.
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Q 223 Marks Question3 Marks
Use the formula λm T = 0.29 cm K to obtain the characteristic temperature ranges for different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. What do the numbers that you obtain tell you?
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Q 233 Marks Question3 Marks
How are electromagnetic waves produced? What is the source of energy carried by a propagating electromagnetic wave? Identify the electromagnetic radiations used:
  1. In remote switches of household electronic devices.
  2. As diagnostic tool in medicine.
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Q 243 Marks Question3 Marks
  1. Identify the part of the electromagnetic spectrum which is:
  1. Suitable for radar system used in aircraft navigation,
  2. Produced by bombarding a metal target by high-speed electrons.
  1. Why does a galvanometer show a momentary deflection at the time of charging or discharging a capacitor? Write the necessary expression to explain this observation.
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Q 253 Marks Question3 Marks
Identify the following electromagnetic radiations as per the wavelengths given below.
Write one application of each.
  1. 10–3 nm
  2. 10–3 m
  3. 1 nm
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Professor C.V Raman surprised his students by suspending freely a tiny light ball in a transparent vacuum chamber by shining a laser beam on it. Which property of EM waves was he exhibiting? Give one more example of this property.
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An electromagnetic wave transports linear momentum as it travels through space. If an electromagnetic wave transfers a total energy U to a surface in time t, then total linear momentum delivered to the surface is $\text{p}=\frac{\text{U}}{\text{c}}.$ When an electromagnetic wave falls on a surface, it exerts pressure on the surface. ln 1903, the American scientists Nichols and Hull succeeded in measuring radiation pressures of visible light where other had failed, by making a detailed empirical analysis of the ubiquitous gas heating and ballistic effects.
  1. The pressure exerted by an electromagnetic wave of intensity I (Wm-2) on a non-reflecting surface is (c is the velocity of light). 
  1. $\text{Ic}$
  2. $\text{Ic}^2$
  3. $\frac{\text{I}}{\text{c}}$
  4. $\frac{\text{I}}{\text{c}^2}$
  1. Light with an energy flux of $18\frac{\text{W}}{\text{cm}^2}$ falls on a non-reflecting surface at normal incidence. The pressure exerted on the surface is:
  1. $3\frac{\text{N}}{\text{m}^2}$
  2. $2\times10^{-4}\frac{\text{N}}{\text{m}^2}$
  3. $6\frac{\text{N}}{\text{m}^2}$
  4. $6\times10^{-4}\frac{\text{N}}{\text{m}^2}$
  1. Radiation of intensity 0.5Wm-2 are striking a metal plate. The pressure on the plate is:
  1. 0.166 × 10-8Nm-2
  2. 0.212 × 10-8Nm-2
  3. 0.132 × 10-8Nm-2
  4. 0.083 × 10-8Nm-2
  1. A point source of electromagnetic radiation has an average power out-put of 1500W. The maximum value of electric field at a distance of 3m from this source (in Vm-1) is:
  1. $500$
  2. $100$
  3. $\frac{500}{3}$
  4. $\frac{250}{3}$
  1. The radiation pressure of the visible light is of the order of,
  1. $10^{-2}\frac{\text{N}}{\text{m}^2}$
  2. $10^{-4}\frac{\text{N}}{\text{m}}$
  3. $10^{-6}\frac{\text{N}}{\text{m}^2}$
  4. $10^{-8}\text{N}$
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In a microwave oven, the food is kept in a plastic container and the microwave is directed towards the food. The food is cooked without melting or igniting the plastic container. Explain.
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A metal rod is placed along the axis of a solenoid carrying a high-freqμency alternating current. It is found that the rod gets heated. Explain why the rod gets heated.
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Electrons oscillating in a circuit give rise to radiowaves. A transmitting antenna radiates most effectively the radiowaves of wavelength equal to the size of the antenna. The infrared waves incident on a substance set into oscillation all its electrons, atoms and molecules. This increases the internal energy and hence the temperature of the substance.
  1. If vg, vx and vm are the speeds of gamma rays, X-rays and microwaves respectively in vacuum, the
  1. vg > vx > vm
  2. vg < vx < vm
  3. vg > vx > vm
  4. vg = vx = vm
  1. Which of the following wi II deflect in electric field?
  1. X-rays.
  2. $\gamma-\text{rays}.$
  3. Cathode rays.
  4. Ultraviolet rays.
  1. $\gamma-\text{rays}$ are detected by:
  1. Point contact diodes.
  2. Thennopiles.
  3. Ionization chamber.
  4. Photocells.
  1. The frequency of electromagnetic wave, which best suited to observe a particle ofradius 3 × 10-4cm is the order of,
  1. 1015Hz
  2. 1014 Hz
  3. 1013Hz
  4. 1012Hz
  1. We consider the radiation emitted by the human body. Which one of the following statements is true?
  1. The radiation emitted is in the infrared region.
  2. The radiation is emitted only during the day.
  3. The radiation is emitted during the summers and absorbed during the winters.
  4. The radiation emitted lies in the ultraviolet region and hence it is not visible.
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Answer the following question:
Some scientists have predicted that a global nuclear war on the earth would be followed by a severe ‘nuclear winter’ with a devastating effect on life on earth. What might be the basis of this prediction?
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In a plane electromagnetic wave, the electric field oscillates sinusoidally at a frequency of 2.0 × 1010 Hz and amplitude 48 V m-1.
  1. What is the wavelength of the wave?
  2. What is the amplitude of the oscillating magnetic field?
  3. Show that the average energy density of the E field equals the average energy density of the B field. [c = 3 × 108 m s-1.]
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In an electromagnetic wave, the amplitude of electric field is 60 Volt/meter. If the wave is transmitted in free space then the magnitude of magnetic field will be ____________
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