The electromagnetic wave equation is a second-order partial differential equation that describes the propagation of electromagnetic waves through a medium or in a vacuum. It is a three-dimensional form of the wave equation. The homogeneous form of the equation, written in terms of either the electric field E or the magnetic field B, takes the form:
where
is the speed of light in the medium, and ∇2 is the Laplace operator. In a vacuum, c = c0 = 299,792,458 meters per second, which is the speed of light in free space. The electromagnetic wave equation derives from Maxwell's equations. It should also be noted that in most older literature, B is called the magnetic flux density or magnetic induction.
Read more about Electromagnetic Wave Equation: The Origin of The Electromagnetic Wave Equation, Covariant Form of The Homogeneous Wave Equation, Homogeneous Wave Equation in Curved Spacetime, Inhomogeneous Electromagnetic Wave Equation, Solutions To The Homogeneous Electromagnetic Wave Equation
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