This document discusses phase and group velocity of electromagnetic waves traveling through a dispersive medium. It explains that electromagnetic waves consist of multiple frequency components that travel together as a group. The group velocity is always less than or equal to the speed of light in vacuum. The document presents an example of adding two waves and deriving an expression for the resulting modulated wave. It includes an observation table that varies the difference in angular frequency and wavevector between the two waves. The inferences discuss when the wave patterns will be the same or different and how the phase and group velocities relate for increased frequency differences.
This document discusses phase and group velocity of electromagnetic waves traveling through a dispersive medium. It explains that electromagnetic waves consist of multiple frequency components that travel together as a group. The group velocity is always less than or equal to the speed of light in vacuum. The document presents an example of adding two waves and deriving an expression for the resulting modulated wave. It includes an observation table that varies the difference in angular frequency and wavevector between the two waves. The inferences discuss when the wave patterns will be the same or different and how the phase and group velocities relate for increased frequency differences.
This document discusses phase and group velocity of electromagnetic waves traveling through a dispersive medium. It explains that electromagnetic waves consist of multiple frequency components that travel together as a group. The group velocity is always less than or equal to the speed of light in vacuum. The document presents an example of adding two waves and deriving an expression for the resulting modulated wave. It includes an observation table that varies the difference in angular frequency and wavevector between the two waves. The inferences discuss when the wave patterns will be the same or different and how the phase and group velocities relate for increased frequency differences.
This document discusses phase and group velocity of electromagnetic waves traveling through a dispersive medium. It explains that electromagnetic waves consist of multiple frequency components that travel together as a group. The group velocity is always less than or equal to the speed of light in vacuum. The document presents an example of adding two waves and deriving an expression for the resulting modulated wave. It includes an observation table that varies the difference in angular frequency and wavevector between the two waves. The inferences discuss when the wave patterns will be the same or different and how the phase and group velocities relate for increased frequency differences.
Objective: To understand the nature of EM waves travelling in a medium with the help of Phase and Group velocities.
Theory: Any real signal consists of travelling-waves of many different frequencies, which travel together as a group, at a speed that will always be less than or equal to the speed of light in vacuum. To gain some insight into what may happen when a real signal travels through a dispersive medium, we consider adding two waves of equal amplitude. When two travelling waves with unit amplitude f1(z,t) = cos(k1z−ω1t) and f2(z,t) = cos(k2z−ω2t) are added, we get
Where, , , and
The result is a fast oscillating wave that travels with a phase velocity and the amplitude of this wave is being modulated in space and time by . This
modulated wave travels at the group velocity given by
Observation table
S. No Δω Δk Wave pattern of the resultant Vg
waves
1 0.02 0.02 1
2 0.04 0.04 1
3 0.06 0.06 1
4 0.08 0.08 1
5 0.1 0.1 1
6 0.2 0.2 1
7 0.3 0.3 1
8 0.4 0.4 1 9 0.5 0.5 1
Inferences: 1) Are the wave patterns for various values of Δω and Δk same? If not, why?
ANS: No, because ∆w is very small, w1 and w2 are nearly equal that’s why we see sine wave and cosine wave. If ∆w value is very large then wave will be propagating like packets.
2) Comment on the Phase velocity (Vp) of the waves for increased values of Δω and Δk. ANS: ∆w will be large Vg will be depending upon envelope. Then e can observe when Vg is decreasing Vp look lie increased value.
3) When do we see Vp and Vg being the same?
ANS: Vp = Vg (In dispersion less medium).
4) Draw a typical dispersion relation curve (ω-k curve) for Vp = Vg and Vp ≠ Vg cases. ANS:
