3.4 Electric and Magnetic Components of Light
Electromagnetic waves contain both electric and magnetic fields that change or oscillate. The electric field vector E is always perpendicular to the magnetic field vector B. Both E and B are perpendicular to the propagation direction of the wave. We will learn more about the electric field vector E in the section on polarization of light.
![Figure 2.3.8. The electric (E) and magnetic (B) field vectors of electromagnetic energy.](https://viva.pressbooks.pub/app/uploads/sites/13/2019/12/2_3_8-E-and-B-300x209.png)