Question

Every 3D visual explaining a photon shows the photon moving through space (let's say on Z axis), with electric component wiggling up and down on the Y axis, and magnetic component wiggling left and right on X axis (or visa versa for X and Y).

As well as this, it's often stated that the magnetic component wiggles at 90° or perpendicular to the electric component.

Presumably though, these wiggles aren't in space, they are just the electric/magnetic charge values changing over time as the photon travels in a straight line on the Z axis, and they are 90° out of phase with each other, not spacially perpendicular?

Answer 1

Diagrams of photons moving through space accurately show the perpendicular oscillation of the electric and magnetic fields as described by Maxwell's equations, and this spatial relationship is a key feature of electromagnetic waves.

Step-by-step explanation:

The visualization of a photon moving through space, with an electric field oscillating in one direction and a magnetic field oscillating perpendicular to it and the direction of propagation, is an accurate representation of electromagnetic waves. The 'wiggling' shown for electric and magnetic components in diagrams is a portrayal of the fluctuating electric and magnetic field strengths, which indeed oscillate at 90 degrees to each other in space, not just in phase. This perpendicular arrangement of the fields is a fundamental aspect of electromagnetic waves, as described by Maxwell's equations. When considering the motion of a photon on a quantum mechanical scale, concepts like Feynman diagrams for the exchange of virtual photons come into play, showcasing the underlying interactions at the heart of electromagnetic force.