Electromagnetic wave

An animation showing how an electromagnetic wave propagates

An electromagnetic wave is a transverse wave composed of an oscillating electrical field and a magnetic field that oscillate perpendicular to the electric field.

The spectrum of electromagnetic waves has an extremely wide range from radio waves, microwaves, terahertz radiation, infrared (IR) radiation, visible light, ultraviolet (UV) light, far UV radiation, soft X-rays, hard X-rays and -radiation.

Electromagnetic waves are well described by the classical laws of electricity and magnetism, known as Maxwell's Equations.