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A charged particle oscillates about its mean equilibrium position with a frequency of 10⁹ Hz. What is the frequency of the electromagnetic waves produced by the oscillator?

Asked in GUJCET 2022 · Sources: the accelerated charge and Hertz

Answer: (2) 10⁹ Hz

Step-by-step solution

Idea: an oscillating charge is an accelerating charge, and an accelerating charge radiates. The fields at a distant point rise and fall in step with the motion of the charge.

Each complete to-and-fro oscillation of the charge sends out exactly one complete cycle of the wave.

So the frequency of the radiation equals the frequency of the source, u_wave = u_charge.

Here the charge oscillates at 10⁹ Hz, so the electromagnetic wave also has frequency 10⁹ Hz.

Why the other options are wrong

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