Extra exam question E3A05
Subelement E3, RADIO WAVE PROPAGATION· Group E3A
How are the component fields of an electromagnetic wave oriented?
- A.They are parallel
- B.They are tangential
- C.They are at right angles (correct answer)
- D.They are 90 degrees out of phase
WhyThe electric and magnetic field components of an electromagnetic wave are oriented at right angles to each other. The electric and magnetic field components of an electromagnetic wave are oriented at right angles to each other, one of the defining structural features of how the wave carries energy, answer C. They aren't parallel or merely tangential to each other, and while there is a phase relationship between the fields in some contexts, "90 degrees out of phase" isn't the same thing as their spatial orientation, which is what this question is actually asking about.
Published 2026-08-28 · Last updated 2026-08-28 · Question text is verbatim from the 2024-2028 NCVEC Element 4 pool (public domain); the explanation above is original writing, see our methodology.
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