Disadvantages of Poynting Vector

There are some limitations of Poynting vector like :

  • With modifications in surroundings like surroundings which involve time dependent electric and magnetic field, it becomes very difficult to measure Poynting vector as it becomes complex. Thereby it is not always viable in some practical situations.
  • Poynting vector is based on some assumptions of ideality like presence of linear, isotropic, and homogeneous media. on contrast to this the real-world doesn’t fulfil these ideal conditions due to non-uniform environments thereby dropping the accuracy of Poynting vector.
  • The applications of Poynting vector are limited to a particular kind of waves i.e Electromagnetic waves. This can’t be applied to other waves without making necessary modifications making its use limited to certain waves only.

Poynting Vector

Poynting Vector as the name suggests is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction. In the electrical industry, whilst dealing with electromagnetic waves, we often have to come across some tools that can help us analyze these waves. If we think about how electromagnetic waves travel, we realize that we need a term to define the energy flux density of these waves and this is represented by Poynting Vector. Basically, the Poynting vector represents power per unit area. It generally is defined as the cross-product of an electric field and magnetic field, giving us the direction of energy flux which is in the direction of wave propagation. In this article, we will learn about Poynting Vector, its meaning, and its physical Interpretation. We will also discuss the components used in the formula of the Poynting vector. Later we will discuss some advantages and disadvantages of the Poynting vector and how are they put into use. We will conclude the article with some Frequently Asked Questions.

Table of Content

  • What is Poynting Vector?
  • Physical Interpretation of Poynting Vector
  • Formula of Poynting
  • Advantages of Poynting Vector
  • Disadvantages of Poynting Vector
  • Vector Applications of Poynting Vector
  • Solved Examples

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What is Poynting Vector?

Poynting vector was introduced in 1884 by English physicist John Henry Poynting, thereby naming it after his name . Poynting vector is a tool used for studying energy flow in electromagnetic waves. In layman’s language, it is used to tell how much energy is being carried by an electromagnetic wave in a unit area. The formal definition is given below...

Physical Interpretation of Poynting Vector

In order to understand what the Poynting vector physically signifies, we need to understand the definition of the Poynting vector and understand the physics behind it....

Formula of Poynting

Formally, Poynting vector is the cross product of electric field(E) and magnetic field(B), respectively. Note that the order in which these terms are written is very necessary....

Advantages of Poynting Vector

Poynting vector ahs various advantages like:...

Disadvantages of Poynting Vector

There are some limitations of Poynting vector like :...

Vector Applications of Poynting Vector

Poynting vector is applicable to large number of places like:...

Solved Examples

1. A radio transmitter emits an electromagnetic wave with an electric field magnitude of 3 V/m and generates a magnetic field magnitude of 2 μT. Calculate the magnitude of the Poynting Vector at a point where the angle between E and B is 30 degrees....

Conclusion

As we discussed about the Poynting vector in this article, we realized how significant it is when talking about electromagnetic waves. We have seen the representation of this vector and discussed how we can represent it in terms of electric and magnetic field. In nutshell, we read how Poynting vector is used for showing the magnitude and direction of energy associated with electromagnetic waves. This concept is to put to use in various applications like discussing about radio waves, study the power flow in space and many more. Readers can further enhance their knowledge of subject by referring to the frequency asked questions....

FAQs on Poynting Vector

1. What are the units of Poynting vector?...