Question

What is meant by 'simple medium" in electromagnetics?

Answer 1

The space and material through which a wave travels constitute the medium of propagation. There are countless types of propagation media.

A simple medium is said to be -

1. Linear

2. Isotropic

3. Homogeneous

4. Sourceless

Now let's see what each term means.

1. A medium is said to be linear if all flux density vectors are proportional to their corresponding field components.

2. A medium is said to be isotropic if its material properties do not vary as a function of field orientation.

3. A medium is said to be homogeneous if its material properties do not depend on space.

4. A medium is source-free if it contains no electromagnetic charges or currents.