The simplest form of a traveling electromagnetic wave is a plane wave. For a wave traveling in the x direction whose electric field is in the y direction, the electric and magnetic fields are given by the picture shown above. This wave is linearly polarized in the y direction.

1. In these formulas, it is useful to understand which variables are parameters that specify the nature of the wave. The variables E_0and B_0 are the of the electric and magnetic fields.

a. maximas
b. wavelenghts
c. amplitudes.
d. velocities

2. The variable omega is called the of the wave.

a. wavenumber
b. wavelength
c. velocity
d. frequency
3. What is the mathematical expression for the electric field at the point x=0, y=0, z at time t?
4. For a given wave, what are the physical variables to which the wave responds?