- #1
Fernandopozasaura
- 13
- 3
Recently I saw an exercise on electromagnetics (plane waves) in which it was said that a plane wave was traveling through vacuum (ε0 and μ0) BUT with losses, i.e, σ ≠0.
Is that possible?
I think I have read in the past that it's OK in some texbook, but now, I have searched for it in a couple of physics texts without success.
As far as I've learned in my search, σ (conductivity) is due to free charges in volume where you want to get wave electric (or magnetic) field, so in vacuum (or fresh air, which is not exactly vacuum but that is another issue) as long as there is no material, no free charges will exist, so, σ = 0.
Thanks for your help.
Is that possible?
I think I have read in the past that it's OK in some texbook, but now, I have searched for it in a couple of physics texts without success.
As far as I've learned in my search, σ (conductivity) is due to free charges in volume where you want to get wave electric (or magnetic) field, so in vacuum (or fresh air, which is not exactly vacuum but that is another issue) as long as there is no material, no free charges will exist, so, σ = 0.
Thanks for your help.