understanding the meaing of k number direction in plane wave

Thread Starter

yef smith

Joined Aug 2, 2020
756
Hello,I am confused regarding direction in plane wave
there is X direction of the field but also i have direction of the values in "exponent."
how do i know what direction does it propogate?
how does these two directions go togother?
thanks.
1649707913500.png
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,228
The wave number k is related to the rate of rotation (frequency) indicated by the complex exponential.
Are y and z bounded in any way? If not, those terms go to zero as either y & z approach ∞.
 

Thread Starter

yef smith

Joined Aug 2, 2020
756
Hello Papabravo,How do i imagine this rotation aith X polarization?
I am looking for vialization,is there some thing you can help me with?
Thanks.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,228
Hello Papabravo,How do i imagine this rotation aith X polarization?
I am looking for vialization,is there some thing you can help me with?
Thanks.
I think the visualization would be a plane wave propagating radially in the y-z plane with the amplitude in the x-direction. This would be the case, if x-hat was actually a unit vector in the X-direction. In that visualization the amplitude would tend to 0 as y and z get large. I can't say for sure without doing a 3D image of the actual function, which I am unable to do at the moment. You also didn't mention the reference point for the angle θ.
 
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