In my book, it says that light consists of electric and magnetic fields. These fields are caused by the motion of charged particles in the source of the light. So what causes the wavelength and frequency present in visible light? Will light not oscillate in a vacuum? I don't understand... Someone please clear this up for me!
Light is electromagnetic radiation, made up of photons, which can be described as a pair of alternating electric and magnetic fields. In other words, light is made up of light, and is not made up of other components. The alternating nature of these fields is what determines the frequency of the light, and that, plus the speed of light, determines the wavelength of the light. Light propagates in a vacuum. It does not require a medium for tranmission (as air serves for sound transmission). While the movement of charges generates electromagnetic radiation, the propagation of electromagnetic radiation does not depend on the presence of anything.
