What is meant by a plane wave?

Definition of plane wave : a wave whose wave fronts are plane surfaces corresponding to parallel rays light waves from the distant stars are virtually plane waves when they strike a telescope lens.

What causes a plane wave?

The phenomenon is the result of interference; that is, when waves are superimposed, their energies are either added together or canceled out. In the case of waves moving in the same direction, interference produces a traveling wave. For oppositely moving waves, interference produces an oscillating wave fixed in space.

What are the characteristics of plane wave?

Plane waves are a special case of waves where a physical quantity, such as phase, is constant over a plane that is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. Just like periodic waves, plane waves have a wavelength, frequency, and wave speed.

What is an example of a plane wave?

Plane waves are satisfying wave equations in homogeneous media or in free space; therefore, one can say that plane waves are free-space modes. with the wave vector, the magnitude of which is the wavenumber k, and the angular frequency ω….

What is a plane wave in quantum mechanics?

In quantum mechanics, a free particle is defined as any particle (such as an electron) that does not feel any fore. In such a case, the wave function that describes the free particle is given by a sinusoidal wave and this is referred to as the plane wave.

How is plane wavefront formed?

Plane Wavefront: When the small part of the spherical or cylindrical wavefront originates from a distant source, like infinity, then the wavefront which is obtained is known as a plane wavefront. For example: Rays coming from infinity, like Sun. Plane wavefront is generated from a very distant source.

What are plane waves and uniform plane wave?

When the electric (E) and magnetic (H) field vectors of a wave are in planes perpendicular to the direction of propagation, say the z-direction, it is called a plane wave. Plane waves have constant phase fronts and when their amplitudes are uniform, they form uniform plane waves.

What is the equation of a plane wave?

In free space, the plane wave propagates with velocity c in direction of the wave vector k = (kx, ky, kz). The electric field vector E0, the magnetic field vector H0, and k are perpendicular to each other. The corresponding magnetic field is readily found by using Maxwell’s equation ∇ × E = iωµ0 H.

What is plane and spherical waves?

Spherical waves are emitted from a single point source in a spherical shape. A plane wave is a constant-frequency wave whose wavefronts (surfaces of constant phase ) are infinite parallel planes of constant peak-to-peak amplitude normal to the phase velocity vector.

What is plane wave front?

The wave fronts of plane waves are planes that are perpendicular to the direction of propagation (Figure 18.6a). Figure 18.6a. Spherical wave fronts can be produced by a point source—a source whose dimensions are small compared with the distance to an observer.

What kind of source produces a plane wavefront?

A plane wavefront is produced, if source is at infinity.