Show Maxwell's equations in free space satisfy the wave equation

Maxwell's equations in free space:

∇ . E = 0

= -B/t

∇ . B = 0

∇ B = (1/c2)(∂E/t)

The wave equation: 

2(1/c2)(2U/t2)

If we take the curl of ∇ E, we get ∇ x(∇ E) = -(/t)∇ B

Using the vector formula a×(b×c) = b(a· c)−c(a·b), we can expand the left hand side to: ∇(∇ . E) - E(∇.∇)

Since ∇.E = 0, this becomes -2-(/t)∇ B

As ∇ B = (1/c2)(∂E/t), we have -2-(/t)(1/c2)(∂E/t)

Thus, 2(1/c2)(2E/t2) which shows that Maxwell's equations satisfy the wave equation. A similar process can be applied to B

DD

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

A ball of mass 0.7 kg strikes the wall at an angle of 90 degrees with speed 72 km/h. Consider that the bounce lasts for 0.1 s and is perfectly elastic. What is the magnitude of the average reaction force from the wall that acts on the ball?


How would you calculate the vertical and horizontal components of the velocity of an object with an initial velocity of 15m/s which is travelling upwards at an angle of 30 degrees to the horizontal?


What is the minimum frequency of electromagnetic radiation needed for a photon to ionise an atom of sodium? ( An atom of sodium has an ionisation energy of 5.15 eV.)


How does light from distant stars show how fast they are moving away from us.