Practice portal › Electromagnetic Waves › Maxwell's Equations and the Production of EM Waves

A charged particle oscillates about its mean equilibrium position with a frequency of 8 × 10⁹ Hz. What is the frequency of the electromagnetic waves produced by the oscillator?

Asked in GUJCET 2026 · Sources: the accelerated charge and Hertz

Answer: (2) 8 × 10⁹ Hz

Step-by-step solution

Idea: an oscillating charge accelerates all the time, and an accelerating charge radiates. At a distant point the fields follow the motion of the charge cycle for cycle.

So one complete oscillation of the charge produces exactly one complete cycle of the electromagnetic wave.

The frequency of the radiation is therefore equal to the frequency of oscillation, with no factor of two or one-half either way.

Here the charge oscillates at 8×10⁹ Hz, so the wave produced has frequency 8×10⁹ Hz.

Why the other options are wrong

More Maxwell's Equations and the Production of EM Waves questionsAll Maxwell's Equations and the Production of EM Waves questions →

Reading this solution needs no sign-in. You only sign in to practise against the clock and keep your progress.

Practise this with a timer