Basics of sound in air: Correspondence with electromagnetic waves.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Zürcher, Ulrich,
- Source
- American Journal of Physics; Feb2021, Vol. 89 Issue 2, p157-163, 7p
- Subject
- Electromagnetic waves
Maxwell equations
Linear equations
Magnetic fields
Energy density
- Language
- ISSN
- 00029505
The wave equation of sound is developed starting from the equations of fluid mechanics for the velocity and pressure variation in air. The equations for sound are analogous to Maxwell's equations for linear polarized electromagnetic plane waves: the pressure variation and the velocity correspond to the electric and magnetic fields, respectively. The order of magnitude of sound properties is explained in terms of the amplitude and energy density of the corresponding wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]