Finding the Direction of Polarization of an Electromagnetic Wave

 AP Physics 2 Skills Practice
  • 1.

    An electromagnetic wave propagates in the Z-direction. The magnetic field and the electric field oscillate along the X-axis and the Y-axis respectively. Determine the direction of polarization of the electromagnetic wave.

    Answers:

    • The direction of polarization will be in the Z-axis.

    • Cannot be determined.

    • The direction of polarization will be in the X-axis.

    • The direction of polarization will be in the Y-axis.

  • 2.

    The magnetic field of an electromagnetic wave is in the Z-direction at a certain instant while the electromagnetic wave propagates in the X-direction. Specify the direction of polarization of the EM wave.

    Answers:

    • The EM wave will be polarized in the X-direction.

    • The EM wave will be polarized in the Z-direction.

    • The EM wave will be polarized in the Y-direction.

    • The EM wave will not be polarized.

  • 3.

    An electromagnetic wave is propagating in the Y-direction with its magnetic field and electric field oscillating along the Z-axis and the X-axis respectively. What will be the direction of polarization of the electromagnetic wave?

    Answers:

    • The electromagnetic wave is polarized in the X-direction.

    • The electromagnetic wave is polarized in the Z-direction.

    • The electromagnetic wave is polarized in the Y-direction.

    • The electromagnetic wave travels without getting polarized.

  • 4.

    Determine the direction of polarization of an electromagnetic wave if it propagates along the Z-axis the magnetic field oscillates along the Y-axis.

    Answers:

    • The wave will be polarized along the Y-axis.

    • Predicting the direction of polarization is not possible.

    • The wave will be polarized along the X-axis.

    • The wave will be polarized along the Z-axis.

  • 5.

    An electromagnetic wave is propagating in the Y-direction with its electric and magnetic field in the X and Z direction respectively. The direction in which the wave will be polarized will be equal to which of the following?

    Answers:

    • In the X-direction.

    • In the Z-direction.

    • In the Y-direction.

    • At some angle to Y-direction.

  • 6.

    In which direction will an electromagnetic wave be polarized if it propagates along the X-axis, while its electric and magnetic field propagates along the Y and Z axes, respectively.

    Answers:

    • The electromagnetic wave propagates in the X-direction.

    • The electromagnetic wave propagates at an angle to the Z-direction.

    • The electromagnetic wave propagates in the Y-direction.

    • The electromagnetic wave propagates in the Z-direction.

  • 7.

    An electromagnetic wave propagates through space in the Y-direction. If the electric field oscillates in the Z-direction, determine in which direction the electromagnetic wave will be polarized.

    Answers:

    • The wave will be polarized in the Y-direction.

    • The wave will be polarized in the Z-direction.

    • No polarization of the wave will occur.

    • The wave will be polarized in the X-direction.

  • 8.

    Find the direction of polarization of the electromagnetic wave if its propagation direction is on the Y-axis and the magnetic field oscillates along the Z-axis.

    Answers:

    • The direction of polarization will be on the Y-axis.

    • The direction of polarization will be on the Z-axis.

    • The direction of polarization will be on the X-axis.

    • The wave will not be polarized.

  • 9.

    The electric field and the magnetic field of an electromagnetic wave oscillate along the Z and Y direction respectively. What will be the polarized direction of the electromagnetic wave if it propagates along the X direction?

    Answers:

    • The electromagnetic wave is polarized in the Z-direction.

    • Predicting the polarized direction is not possible.

    • The electromagnetic wave is polarized in the X-direction.

    • The electromagnetic wave is polarized in the Y-direction.

  • 10.

    When an electromagnetic wave propagates along the X-direction, its magnetic and electric field oscillates in the Z and Y direction, respectively. What will be the direction of the polarized electromagnetic wave?

    Answers:

    • Along a direction that cannot be predicted.

    • Along the Y-axis.

    • Along the X-axis.

    • Along the Z-axis.

  • 11.

    The electric field of an electromagnetic wave oscillates in the Z-direction at a certain instant while the electromagnetic wave propagates in the X-direction. Specify the direction of polarization of the EM wave.

    Answers:

    • It is polarized in the X-direction.

    • It is polarized in the Y-direction.

    • The wave will not be polarized.

    • It is polarized in the Z-direction.

  • 12.

    A device generates an EM wave that propagates in the Y-direction. What will be the direction of polarization of the electromagnetic wave if its magnetic field oscillates in the X-direction?

    Answers:

    • It will be polarized along the Y-direction.

    • The wave will be polarized but the direction cannot be determined.

    • It will be polarized along the Z-direction.

    • It will be polarized along the X-direction.

  • 13.

    During a certain test, it has been observed that an electromagnetic wave propagates in the Z-direction while its electric field oscillates in the Y-direction. What should be the polarized direction of the electromagnetic wave?

    Answers:

    • The wave cannot be polarized.

    • The wave should be polarized in the X-direction.

    • The wave should be polarized in the Y-direction.

    • The wave should be polarized in the Y-direction.

  • 14.

    The electric field of an electromagnetic wave oscillates in the X-direction, and the wave propagates in the Z-direction. In which direction the electromagnetic wave will be polarized?

    Answers:

    • In the Y-direction.

    • In the X-direction.

    • In the direction of the propagation of the wave.

    • In the Z-direction.

  • 15.

    An electromagnetic wave from a mobile tower propagates in the Z-direction while the magnetic field oscillates in the Y-direction. Specify the direction in which the wave will be polarized.

    Answers:

    • It will be polarized along the direction of the propagation of the wave (Z-direction).

    • It will be polarized along the direction of the electric field (X-direction).

    • It will be polarized along the direction of the magnetic field (Y-direction).

    • It will be polarized along the Z-axis.

  • 16.

    Find the direction of the polarized electromagnetic wave if it propagates along the Z-axis and its electric field oscillates along the Y-axis.

    Answers:

    • The wave will be polarized along the X-axis.

    • The wave will be polarized along the Z-axis.

    • The wave will be polarized along the Y-axis.

    • No polarization of the wave will occur.

  • 17.

    If the electric field of an electromagnetic wave oscillates along the Y-direction, in what direction will the wave be polarized?

    Note: the wave propagates in the Z-direction.

    Answers:

    • The polarization direction cannot be specified.

    • It is polarized in the Z-direction.

    • It is polarized in the X-direction.

    • It is polarized in the Y-direction.

  • 18.

    An electromagnetic wave is propagating in the Y-direction with its magnetic field in the X-direction and its electric field in the Z-direction. What direction is the polarization of this wave?

    Answers:

    • The polarization of this wave takes place in the Z-direction.

    • The polarization of this wave takes place in the X-direction.

    • This wave will not be polarized.

    • The polarization of this wave takes place in the Y-direction.

  • 19.

    The magnetic field of an electromagnetic wave oscillates in the X-direction, and the wave propagates in the Z-direction. In which direction the electromagnetic wave will be polarized?

    Answers:

    • In the X-direction.

    • In the Y-direction.

    • Cannot be determined.

    • In the Z-direction.

  • 20.

    An EM wave generator produces an electromagnetic wave that propagates in the Y-direction. Determine the polarized wave direction if the magnetic field oscillates in the X-direction.

    Answers:

    • The direction of the polarized wave will be in the X-direction.

    • The direction of the polarized wave will be in the Z-direction.

    • The direction of the polarized wave will be in the Y-direction.

    • The EM wave cannot be polarized.

  • 21.

    The magnetic and the electric field oscillate along the X-axis and the Y-axis respectively. Determine the direction of polarization of the electromagnetic wave if the wave propagates in the Z-axis.

    Answers:

    • It propagates in the Z-axis.

    • It propagates in the X-axis.

    • It propagates in the Y-axis.

    • It has no polarized direction.

  • 22.

    If the magnetic field of an electromagnetic wave oscillates in the X-direction at a certain instant while the electromagnetic wave propagates in the Y-direction, in which direction the EM wave will be polarized?

    Answers:

    • It will be polarized in the Z-direction.

    • It will be polarized along the direction of the magnetic field.

    • It will be polarized in the X-direction.

    • It will be polarized in the Y-direction.

  • 23.

    An electromagnetic wave is propagating in the Z-direction with its magnetic field and electric field oscillating along the X-axis and the Y-axis respectively. Find the direction of polarization of the electromagnetic wave?

    Answers:

    • The EM wave will not be polarized.

    • The EM wave is polarized in the X-direction.

    • The EM wave is polarized in the Z-direction.

    • The EM wave is polarized in the Y-direction.

  • 24.

    Specify the direction of polarization of an electromagnetic wave if it propagates along the Z-axis the magnetic field oscillates along the Y-axis.

    Answers:

    • Direction cannot be specified.

    • Along the X-axis.

    • Along the Z-axis.

    • Along the Y-axis.

  • 25.

    An electromagnetic wave is propagating in the X-direction with its magnetic and electric fields in the Z and Y directions, respectively. The direction in which the wave will be polarized will be equal to which of the following?

    Answers:

    • The wave will be polarized in the X-direction.

    • The wave will be polarized in the Y-direction.

    • None of the given directions are true.

    • The wave will be polarized in the Z-direction.

  • 26.

    In which direction will an electromagnetic wave be polarized if it propagates along the X-axis, while its electric and magnetic field propagate along the Z and Y-axes, respectively.

    Answers:

    • In an unspecified direction.

    • In Z-direction.

    • In Y-direction.

    • In X-direction.

  • 27.

    Predict the polarized direction of an EM wave if it propagates through space in the Y-direction and its electric field oscillates in the Z-direction.

    Answers:

    • The wave will be polarized along the direction of the electric field (Z-direction).

    • The wave will be polarized along the direction of the magnetic field (X-direction).

    • The wave will be polarized along the direction of the propagation of the wave (Y-direction).

    • The wave will not be polarized.

  • 28.

    Specify the direction of polarization of the electromagnetic wave if its propagation direction is on the Y-axis and the magnetic field oscillates along the Z-axis.

    Answers:

    • The wave is polarized along the Z-axis.

    • The wave propagates along the Z-axis.

    • The wave is polarized along the X-axis.

    • The wave propagates along the X-axis.

  • 29.

    In a certain EM wave, the electric and the magnetic field oscillate along the X and Z directions, respectively. What will be the polarized direction of the electromagnetic wave if it propagates along the Y-direction?

    Answers:

    • It is polarized along the Z-direction.

    • It is polarized along the oscillation of the magnetic field.

    • It is polarized along the X-direction.

    • It is polarized along the direction of propagation of the wave.

  • 30.

    When an electromagnetic wave propagates along the Y-direction, its magnetic and electric field oscillates in the Z and X directions, respectively. What will be the direction of the polarized EM wave?

    Answers:

    • The direction of polarization of the wave cannot be determined.

    • The wave is polarized in the X-direction.

    • The wave is polarized in the Y-direction.

    • The wave is polarized in the Z-direction.

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