AMITY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, MAYUR VIHAR

CLASS XII
PHYSICS ASSIGNMENT
CHAPTER 8: ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

ONE MARK QUESTIONS

1. The charging current for a capacitor is 0.25A.What is the displacement current across its
plates?

2. A variable frequency a.c source is connected to a capacitor. Will the displacement current
increase or decrease with increasing frequency?

3. What physical quantity is same for X-rays of wavelength 10-10 m, red light of wavelength
6800A0 and radio wave of wavelength 500m.

4. What are the directions of electric and magnetic field vectors relative to each other and
relative to the direction of propagation of electromagnetic waves?
5. Identify the part of the electromagnetic spectrum to which the following wavelengths
belong:
(i) 10-1m (ii) 10-12 m

6. Identify the part of the electromagnetic spectrum to which the following wavelengths
belong:
(i) 1 mm (ii) 10-11 m
7. Welders wear special goggles or face masks with glass windows to protect their eyes from
electromagnetic radiations. Name the radiations and write the range of their frequency.
8. Name the electromagnetic radiations used for studying the crystal structure of solids and
write its frequency range
9. The speed of an electromagnetic wave in a material medium is given by v = 1/√µε, µ being
the permeability of the medium and € its permittivity. How does its frequency change?
10. How are X-rays produced?
11. The frequency of oscillation of the electric vector of a certain electromagnetic wave is
5x1014 Hz. What is the frequency of oscillation of the corresponding magnetic field vector
and to which part of the electromagnetic spectrum does it belong?
12. Which of the following has the shortest wavelength?
Microwaves, Ultraviolet rays, X-rays

13. To which part of the electromagnetic spectrum does a wave of frequency 5x1019 Hz
belong?
14. Name the electromagnetic waves, which (i) maintain Earth’s warmth and (ii) are used in
aircraft navigation.
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15. The speed of an electromagnetic wave in a material medium is given by v = 1/√µε, µ
being the permeability of the medium and € its permittivity. How does its frequency
change?
ANSWER OF ONE MARK QUESTIONS

1. 0.25A
2. Increases
3. Velocity
4. They are perpendicular to each other and also perpendicular to the direction of
propagation.
5. (i) short radio waves (ii) gamma rays
6. (i) microwaves (ii) gamma rays.
7. Ultraviolet radiations, frequency range: 1015-1o17 Hz
8. X- rays, frequency range 1017 to 1020 HZ
9. No change
10. X-rays are produced when high energetic electron beam is made incident on a
metallic target of high melting point and high atomic weight.
11. 5x1014 Hz, visible region.
12. . X-rays
13. . Gamma rays.
14. (i) Infrared rays.
(ii)Microwaves
15. No change

TWO MARKS AND THREE MARKS QUESTIONS:

1. What is meant by the transverse nature of electromagnetic waves? Draw a diagram

showing the propagation of an electromagnetic wave along X-direction, indicating
clearly the directions of oscillating electric and magnetic fields associated with it.

2. Identify the following electromagnetic radiations as per the wavelengths given below.
(a) 10-3 nm (b) 10-3m (c) 1 nm
Write one application of each.
3. Identify the following electromagnetic radiations as per the frequencies given below:
(a) 1020 HZ (b) 109 HZ (c) 1011 HZ
Write one application of each.
4. Write the order of frequency range and one use of each of the following
electromagnetic radiations
(a)Microwaves (b) Ultraviolet rays (c) Gamma rays
5. A capacitor of capacitance of ‘C’ is being charged by connecting it across a dc source
along with an ammeter. Will the ammeter show a momentary deflection during the
process of charging? If so, how would you explain this momentary deflection and the
resulting continuity of current in the circuit? Write the expression for the current
inside the capacitor.[CBSE (AI) 2012]

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 6. A capacitor, made of two parallel plates each of plate area A and separation d, is
being charged by an external ac source. Show that the displacement current inside the
capacitor is the same as the current charging the capacitor.
7. Considering the case of a parallel plate capacitor being charged, show how one is
required to generalize Ampere’s circuital law to include the term due to displacement
current.
8. Arrange the following electromagnetic eaves in the order of their increasing
wavelength: Gamma rays, microwaves, X- rays, radio waves. How are infra-red
waves produced? What role does infra-red radiation play in (i) maintaining the Earth’s
warmth and (ii) physical therapy?
9. Why are infra-red radiations referred to as heat waves? Name the radiations which are
next to these radiations in the electromagnetic spectrum having (i) shorter wavelength
(ii) longer wavelength.
10. What do electromagnetic waves consist of? Explain as what factors does its velocity
in vacuum depend?
11. Give two characteristics of electromagnetic waves. Write the expression for velocity
of electromagnetic waves in terms of permittivity and permeability of the medium.
12. (a) How are electromagnetic waves produced by oscillating charges?
(b) State clearly how a microwave oven works to heat up a food item containing
water.
(c) Why microwaves are found useful for the radar systems in aircraft navigation?
13. The oscillating electric field of an electromagnetic wave is given by
Ey =30 sin (2x1011 t+ 300πx)v/m
(a) Obtain the value of wavelength of the electromagnetic wave.
(b) Write down the expression for oscillating magnetic field.

ANSWER OF TWO AND THREE MARKS QUESTIONS:

1. In an electromagnetic wave, the electric and magnetic field vectors oscillate

perpendicular to the direction of propagation of wave. This is called transverse
nature of electromagnetic wave.

Accordingly if a wave is propagating along z-axis, the electric vector oscillates along x- axis
and magnetic field vector oscillates along y-axis.

2. (a) gamma radiation

Radio therapy or to initiate nuclear reactions.
(b) Microwaves

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 In radar for aircraft navigation.
(c) X-ray
In medical science for detection of fractures, stones in kidneys, gall bladder etc.
3. (a) gamma radiation, for treatment of cancer
(d) Radio waves, for broadcasting radio programmes to long distances.
(e) Micro waves, for cooking in microwave oven.
4. (a) Microwaves: 3X 1011- 1X 108Hz. These are suitable for the radar systems, used
in aircraft navigation.
Ultraviolet rays: 1X106 - 8X1014Hz. They are used to detect invisible writing, forged
documents and finger prints.
Gamma rays: 5X 1023- 3X1019Hz. For the treatment of cancer cells.
5. Yes, because of the production of displacement current between the plates of
capacitor on account of changing electric field.
Current inside the capacitor
Id= ε0 (dφE/dt)

6.

+q -q

Ic = dq/dtIcis the conduction current.

Id= ε0 (dφE/dt)
φE is the electric flux
φE= q/ε0, so Id = dq/dt Id is the displacement current.
Both conduction current and displacement current are equal.

7. ∮ = µ0IC + µ0ε0dɸE/dt

Here Id= ε0 (dφE/dt) = displacement current

IC = conduction current.

8. Gamma rays, x rays, microwaves, radio waves.

Infra-red waves are produced by the vibration of atoms and molecules

(i) The earth radiates infrared waves which are reflected by the gases in the lower
atmosphere. This phenomenon, called greenhouse effect, keeps the earth
warm.
(ii) Infrared lamps in the treatment of muscular complaints.
9. Infrared waves are produced by hot bodies and molecules, so are referred to as heat waves.
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 (i)Em wave having short wavelength than infrared waves are visible, UV, X-rays
and ϒ-rays.

(ii) Em wave having longer wavelength than infrared waves are microwaves, short
radio waves, television and FM radio.

10. Electromagnetic waves consist of mutually perpendicular electric and magnetic field
vectors. Its velocity in vacuum is given by

C= (1/√µ0ε0) = same for electromagnetic waves.

In other words its velocity in vacuum does not depend on any factor.

11. Characteristics of electromagnetic waves

(i)Electromagnetic waves travel in free space with speed of light c= 3X 108m/s.

(ii) Electromagnetic waves are transverse in nature.

Expression for velocity of em waves in vacuum, c= (1/√µ0ε0)

12. (a) if a charge particle oscillates with some frequency, produces an oscillating electric
field in space, which produces an oscillating magnetic field, which in turn is a source of
electric field, and so on. Thus oscillating electric fields and magnetic fields regenerate each
other, and an electromagnetic wave propagates in the space.

(b) In microwave oven, the frequency of the microwaves is selected to match the resonant
frequency water molecules so that energy from the waves get transferred efficiently to the
kinetic energy of the molecules. This kinetic energy raises the temperature of any food
containing water.

(c)Microwaves are short wave length radio waves with frequency of order GHz. Due to short
wave length; they have high penetrating power with respect to atmosphere and less
diffraction in the atmospheric layers. So these waves are suitable for the radar systems used
in aircraft navigation.

13. k=300π

2π/ƛ=300π

ƛ=1/150m

E/B=3X108

B=10-7

BZ=10-7sin (2x1011 t+ 300πx) T

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