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1) Suggest how a physical string with negligible mass could possibly be used to

ID: 583058 • Letter: 1

Question

1) Suggest how a physical string with negligible mass could possibly be used to help us understand electric or magnetic fields. You can answer this with equations and/or words. Recall, electric or magnetic fields have no mass, so how could the understanding of something with mass help us understand something without mass? Hint: what key physical attribute(s) or concept(s) do physicists use to define a "particle" in The Standard Model. This question is intended to challenge you to think broadly about the ideas we have been discussing.

Explanation / Answer

I am not sure I understood the question.

A 3D mechanically possible modelling system should be available in order to illustrate the electromagnetic field. Because there are 3 vectors: E, B and v, perpendicular to each other. E and B generate each other.

For a 2D 'movie', an image coming into my mind, at the first glance is that of the string oscillating in a vertical plane (Oyz or Oxz), and the (transversal) wave propagating along Oy or Ox (the speed of the wave).

OBS: The analogy is neither correct, nor helpful to understand the electromagnetic field.