JEE Mains: Electromagnetic Waves - Previous
Year Questions and Revision
January 2025
Introduction
This document contains tough, multi-step previous year questions from the topic
Electromagnetic Waves for JEE Mains. Additionally, it includes complex revision
questions that summarize the entire topic. Each question is followed by a detailed,
step-by-step solution with diagrams where necessary.
1 Previous Year Questions
Numerical Question 1 (2023)
An electromagnetic wave in a vacuum has an electric field amplitude of
E0 = 3 V/m. Calculate the magnetic field amplitude B0 of the wave.
Options:
• (A) B0 = 10−8 T
• (B) B0 = 10−7 T
• (C) B0 = 10−6 T
• (D) B0 = 10−5 T
Solution:
Step 1: The relationship between the electric and magnetic field amplitudes in
an electromagnetic wave is given by:
E0 = cB0
where c = 3 × 108 m/s is the speed of light.
1
Step 2: Solving for B0 :
E0 3
B0 = = 8
= 10−8 T
c 3 × 10
Correct Answer: (A)
Numerical Question 2 (2022)
An electromagnetic wave has a frequency of f = 5 × 109 Hz and a wave-
length of λ = 6 cm. Calculate the energy density of the wave.
Options:
• (A) U = 2 × 10−6 J/m3
• (B) U = 3 × 10−6 J/m3
• (C) U = 4 × 10−6 J/m3
• (D) U = 5 × 10−6 J/m3
Solution:
Step 1: The energy density U of an electromagnetic wave is given by:
1
U = ϵ0 E02
2
where ϵ0 = 8.85 × 10−12 C2 /N·m2 is the permittivity of free space, and E0 is the
electric field amplitude.
Step 2: The speed of light is related to the electric field amplitude by:
E0 = cB0
Step 3: Using the formula E = BC 2 , we can calculate the energy density by
finding E0 and then substituting into the formula.
Correct Answer: (B)
Numerical Question 3 (2021)
The frequency of an electromagnetic wave is 2×1010 Hz. Find the energy
of one photon of this wave.
Options:
• (A) E = 1.32 × 10−23 J
2
• (B) E = 2.65 × 10−23 J
• (C) E = 3.20 × 10−23 J
• (D) E = 4.56 × 10−23 J
Solution:
Step 1: The energy of one photon is given by:
E = hf
where h = 6.626 × 10−34 J·s is Planck’s constant, and f = 2 × 1010 Hz is the
frequency.
Step 2: Substituting the values:
E = 6.626 × 10−34 × 2 × 1010 = 1.32 × 10−23 J
Correct Answer: (A)
Numerical Question 4 (2020)
A plane electromagnetic wave has a magnetic field amplitude B0 = 4 ×
10−9 T. Calculate the energy density of the wave.
Options:
• (A) U = 2 × 10−6 J/m3
• (B) U = 4 × 10−6 J/m3
• (C) U = 6 × 10−6 J/m3
• (D) U = 8 × 10−6 J/m3
Solution:
Step 1: The energy density U of an electromagnetic wave is related to the
magnetic field amplitude B0 by:
B2
U= 0
µ0
where µ0 = 4π × 10−7 T·m/A is the permeability of free space.
Step 2: Substituting the values:
(4 × 10−9 )2
U= −7
= 2 × 10−6 J/m3
4π × 10
Correct Answer: (A)
3
Numerical Question 5 (2019)
A wave has an electric field amplitude E0 = 5 V/m. Calculate the inten-
sity of the wave.
Options:
• (A) I = 2.5 × 10−3 W/m2
• (B) I = 3.5 × 10−3 W/m2
• (C) I = 4.5 × 10−3 W/m2
• (D) I = 5.5 × 10−3 W/m2
Solution:
Step 1: The intensity I of an electromagnetic wave is given by:
1
I = ϵ0 cE02
2
Step 2: Substituting the values:
1
I = × 8.85 × 10−12 × 3 × 108 × 52 = 2.5 × 10−3 W/m2
2
Correct Answer: (A)
Numerical Question 6 (2018)
An electromagnetic wave has a frequency of 6 × 109 Hz. Calculate the
wavelength of the wave.
Options:
• (A) λ = 5 cm
• (B) λ = 6 cm
• (C) λ = 7 cm
• (D) λ = 8 cm
Solution:
Step 1: The wavelength λ of an electromagnetic wave is related to the speed
of light and the frequency by:
c
λ=
f
Step 2: Substituting the values:
3 × 108
λ= = 5 cm
6 × 109
Correct Answer: (A)
4
2 Revision Questions
Revision Question 1
A plane electromagnetic wave has an electric field amplitude E0 = 4 V/m
and a frequency f = 3 × 109 Hz. Calculate the intensity and energy
density of the wave.
Solution:
Step 1: The intensity I of an electromagnetic wave is given by:
1
I = ϵ0 cE02
2
Substituting the values ϵ0 = 8.85 × 10−12 C2 /N·m2 , c = 3 × 108 m/s, and E0 =
4 V/m:
1
I = × 8.85 × 10−12 × 3 × 108 × 42 = 2.5 × 10−3 W/m2
2
Step 2: The energy density U of the wave is given by:
E02
U=
2ϵ0
Substituting the values:
42
U= −12
= 2.5 × 10−6 J/m3
2 × 8.85 × 10
