I keep getting “Speed and field ratio” questions wrong in Electromagnetic Waves. What's the trap?
claiming gamma rays travel faster than radio waves in vacuum.
The usual trap: claiming gamma rays travel faster than radio waves in vacuum. How to avoid it: same vacuum speed, different frequency and wavelength. Go back to the definition — In vacuum all electromagnetic frequencies travel at c. For a plane wave E_0/B_0 = c; frequency changes photon energy and wavelength, not vacuum speed.
Key point
Speed and field ratio
Common mistake
claiming gamma rays travel faster than radio waves in vacuum.
Memory tip
same vacuum speed, different frequency and wavelength.
Tap to watch or see it right here — the app stays open (it only opens a quick search if nothing embeddable is found).