Submitted by Ethan-Wakefield t3_1198h4o in askscience
luckyluke193 t1_j9npldb wrote
Reply to comment by Ethan-Wakefield in What does it mean for light to be an excitation in the electromagnetic field? by Ethan-Wakefield
A changing magnetic field induces an electric field. This is why moving a magnet through a coil of wire induces causes an electric current to flow in e.g. a bicycle dynamo.
Similarly, a changing electric field induces a magnetic field.
An electromagnetic wave propagates because a change in electric field causes the magnetic field to change, which causes the electric field to change, etc. in a self-sustaining wave travelling at the speed of light.
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