If light is electromagnetic wave, why doesn't it attract magnetic materials?

Question

I have been wondering if light is electromagnetic wave, it has an associated magnetic field. What is the intensity of it's magnetic field? If we can focus light on a magnetic material particle, will it be able to move it like a magnet does?

Answer 1

your normal everyday type magnetic attraction works because the direction of the magnetic fields are either constant, or vary slow enough for the thing being attracted to follow the change in direction. in electromagnetic waves however the direction of the magnetic is continously reversing itself at such a high frequency that no ordinary size object could possibly move fast enough to follow it.
on the atomic scale however, molecules and atoms and so forth are so small and they can indeed interact with the magnetic and electric fields of light waves.

Answer 2

light is an electromagnetic wave, which is really just a rapidly time-varying electric & magnetic field. When these electric & magnetic fields interact with the electrons in a material, the electrons begin to move around. Moving electrons (or, more accurately, accelerating electrons) give off electromagnetic waves of their own, in all directions

Just as a magnet doesn't need to physically connect to something ferrous to attract it, light needs no medium.

Answer 3

Since the light photons travel at a very high speed the a very powerful magnetic field would be required to change their path.eg Like the field generated by black holes.

My answer therefore is that light is attracted to magnetic objects, but the change in path of the light photons is infinitesimal.

Answer 4

Well yes, a photon can jiggle a very very tiny magnet, such as a single electron spin. This is called spin scattering. It changes the polarization of the light. People measure it all the time by shining lasers on magnetic materials and looking at the output.

Answer 5

dear
there r two theories which explain one as u have mentioned a electromagnetic wave theory n another one is the corpuscular theory using both with details we can derive that the energy carried by the light is infitessimally small so it cannot atttract any magnetic magnetic of magnitude visible to eye the energy required is more to attract any substance

hope u r satisfied else u can check with a physics lecturer for the amount of enrgy carried by a light wave

Answer 6

imagine an charged particle in a in the different case fully empty section, for exemple an electron. all of us recognize that the electron induces a electric powered discipline, for the rationalization that that's charged. assume that the electron is going up and down. all of us recognize from Maxwell's equations that a replacing electric powered field induces a magnetic field. This magnetic discipline in his turn creates a electric powered section and so on. for that reason, by using technique of effectively moving an electron up and down, you created a so general as electromagnetic wave. because the electron slows down close that's popping factors, that you may also assume that the concern feels like a sine wave. it truly is the central theory on the lower back of radio-verbal replace. using a simple electric powered circuit adult men and women are in a position to attend to the moves of the electrons to create em waves. The waves holiday with the speed of light (in vacuum), back because of Maxwell's equations.

Answer 7

It is simply a name given to light, whch is within the so called Electromagnetic Spectrum, not to be confused with a magnet you pick up pins with.

Check out the site below.

Answer 8

u know electromagnetic waves do not need a medium 4 propagation so when light reflect on a book it reflect light to the book so the book either absorbs or reflect the light back so when they say light is electromagnetic it doesnt mean it has to magnet materials it means it does not require a medium 4 their propagation

Answer 9

clever, i like your question. i will give you points for that.

Light is an electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic radiation is generally described as a self-propagating wave in space with electric and magnetic components

PROPAGATION IS DIFFERENT THAN ATTRACTION...

Answer 10

They are attracting each other...have you ever put a magnet to TV?? Well, if you would have enough photons...i don`t see any problem...