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JEE Advanced 2026Paper 1
Exam
JEE Advanced
Year
2026
Paper
Paper 1
Subject
Physics
Chapter
Electromagnetic Waves

JEE Advanced 2026 · Paper 1 · Physics · Electromagnetic Waves

The electric field associated with an electromagnetic wave...

The electric field associated with an electromagnetic wave travelling in vacuum is given by E0sin⁡(3y+4z+ωt) i^E_0 \sin(3y + 4z + \omega t)\,\hat{i}, where ω\omega is the angular frequency. All quantities are in SI units. The correct statement(s) about this wave is/are:
[Given: speed of light in vacuum c=3×108c = 3 \times 10^8 ms−1^{-1}.]

Options

  1. AThe wave is travelling in −15(3j^+4k^)-\dfrac{1}{5}(3\hat{j} + 4\hat{k}) direction.
  2. BThe magnitude of the wave vector is 0.50.5 m−1^{-1}.
  3. CThe value of ω\omega is 1.5×1091.5 \times 10^9 rad s−1^{-1}.
  4. DThe magnetic field associated with this wave is given by E0csin⁡(3y+4z+ωt)(4j^−3k^)\dfrac{E_0}{c}\sin(3y + 4z + \omega t)(4\hat{j} - 3\hat{k}).

Correct answer

A. The wave is travelling in −15(3j^+4k^)-\dfrac{1}{5}(3\hat{j} + 4\hat{k}) direction.

Step-by-step solution

The given electric field is E⃗=E0sin⁡(3y+4z+ωt) i^\vec{E} = E_0 \sin(3y + 4z + \omega t)\,\hat{i}.

Comparing the phase ϕ=3y+4z+ωt\phi = 3y + 4z + \omega t with the standard wave equation phase k⃗⋅r⃗−ωt\vec{k} \cdot \vec{r} - \omega t, we can rewrite it as −(−3y−4z−ωt)-(-3y - 4z - \omega t).

Thus, the wave vector is k⃗=−3j^−4k^\vec{k} = -3\hat{j} - 4\hat{k}.

The direction of wave propagation is given by the unit vector n^\hat{n}:

n^=k⃗∣k⃗∣=−3j^−4k^(−3)2+(−4)2=−15(3j^+4k^)\hat{n} = \dfrac{\vec{k}}{|\vec{k}|} = \dfrac{-3\hat{j} - 4\hat{k}}{\sqrt{(-3)^2 + (-4)^2}} = -\dfrac{1}{5}(3\hat{j} + 4\hat{k})

The magnitude of the wave vector is ∣k⃗∣=5|\vec{k}| = 5 m−1^{-1}.

The angular frequency ω\omega is:

ω=c∣k⃗∣=(3×108)×5=1.5×109\omega = c|\vec{k}| = (3 \times 10^8) \times 5 = 1.5 \times 10^9 rad s−1^{-1}

The magnetic field B⃗\vec{B} is given by:

B⃗=1c(n^×E⃗)=1c[−15(3j^+4k^)]×[E0sin⁡(3y+4z+ωt) i^]\vec{B} = \dfrac{1}{c}(\hat{n} \times \vec{E}) = \dfrac{1}{c} \left[ -\dfrac{1}{5}(3\hat{j} + 4\hat{k}) \right] \times [E_0 \sin(3y + 4z + \omega t)\,\hat{i}]

B⃗=−E05csin⁡(3y+4z+ωt)[3(j^×i^)+4(k^×i^)]\vec{B} = -\dfrac{E_0}{5c} \sin(3y + 4z + \omega t) [3(\hat{j} \times \hat{i}) + 4(\hat{k} \times \hat{i})]

B⃗=−E05csin⁡(3y+4z+ωt)(−3k^+4j^)=E05csin⁡(3y+4z+ωt)(−4j^+3k^)\vec{B} = -\dfrac{E_0}{5c} \sin(3y + 4z + \omega t) (-3\hat{k} + 4\hat{j}) = \dfrac{E_0}{5c} \sin(3y + 4z + \omega t) (-4\hat{j} + 3\hat{k})

Answer: The wave is travelling in −15(3j^+4k^)-\dfrac{1}{5}(3\hat{j} + 4\hat{k}) direction.; The value of ω\omega is 1.5×1091.5 \times 10^9 rad s−1^{-1}.
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