Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves that transfer electrical and magnetic energy through space without requiring a medium. They are produced when charged particles create interacting electric and magnetic fields around them that change each other and transfer energy. While electromagnetic waves exhibit wave-like properties such as polarized light, some argue they should be considered particles because they can act as beams that knock electrons out of substances.

1. Electromagnetic Waves
8th Grade Science
2015-16

2. What is an EM wave?
• Transverse wave that transfers electrical and
magnetic energy.

3. What? Say that again!
-vibrating electric field
plus a vibrating magnetic field
The move through space

4. How are they produced?
-charged particles all have fields
around them.

5. Remember this?
An electric field produces a
magnetic field and a magnetic field
produces an electric field.

6. These two fields interact.
They change eachother.

7. And energy is transferred.
It does not require a medium.

8. They travel through space. This is
why we see sun and stars.

9. So are EM waves truly waves? Not
everyone thinks so.

10. So are EM waves truly waves?
Some think they are.

11. Look at page 72 and polarized light.

12. Sometimes a beam of light shines
on something and causes an
electron to move so much that it is
knocked out of the substane. This
is why some say it is made of
particles.