Lizwi Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 I'm trying to understand the concept of "light as waves", As far as I know, "wave is a disturbance in a medium" , to me it seems like wave is not an object, but it is a phenomenon. So if light is a wave, does that mean a light is just a disturbance through medium? I'm lost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 16 minutes ago, Lizwi said: As far as I know, "wave is a disturbance in a medium" , to me it seems like wave is not an object, but it is a phenomenon. I would say it is a mathematical description of the way the electric and magnetic fields vary regularly in a light wave. (So, yes, "phenomenon" might be the better word; definitely not an object.) 16 minutes ago, Lizwi said: So if light is a wave, does that mean a light is just a disturbance through medium? No. (Unless you count the oscillating electric and magnetic fields that make up the light wave as the medium.) Just because most waves we are familiar with exist in a medium, doesn't mean that light does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizwi Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 Does Huygen's principle apply to the light? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 Yes: http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/302l/lectures/node150.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted August 6, 2019 Share Posted August 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Lizwi said: to me it seems like wave is not an object, but it is a phenomenon. That's fair. It's a particular kind (or class) of oscillatory behavior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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