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  • The Fundamentals of Electromagnetic Waves

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    John Mulindi
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    Electromagnetic waves are electric and magnetic fields traveling through free space at the speed of light; in other words, an electromagnetic wave is a propagating electromagnetic field that travels with finite velocity as a disturbance through a medium. The field itself is the disturbance, rather than simply representing a physical displacement or other effect on…

  • The Principle & Application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

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    John Mulindi
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    Nuclear magnetic moments (along with electronic magnetic moments) precess (spin) when placed in an external magnetic field, B. The frequency at which they precess, called the Lamor precessional frequency, wL, is directly proportional to the magnetic field. When the magnetic moment μ is lined up with the field as closely as quantum physics permits, the…

  • The Physics Behind Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

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    John Mulindi
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    MRI provides physicians with a tool to assess a patient’s health. To have an MRI exam, the patient lies in a very strong magnetic field that is generated by powerful magnets. The MRI machine then applies radio waves to the patient’s body; radio waves are electromagnetic waves. MRI uses radio waves as this kind of…

  • The physics behind Global Positioning System (GPS)

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    John Mulindi
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    The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a framework that allows anyone, with the aid of a small device, to identify exactly where they are on the earth’s surface. The GPS is made up of several satellites in accurate, well-known orbits around the earth. Each of these satellites contains a very accurate clock and a microwave…

  • The Operation of Magnetically Levitated Trains (Maglevs)

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    John Mulindi
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    Magnetic levitation (maglev), take place when the magnetic interaction is strong enough to balance the force of gravity. The like poles of two magnets repel one another, and if the magnets are placed vertically and the strength of the repulsion is the same as the strength of gravity, the net force is zero. The magnet…

  • Basic Facts about Superconductors

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    John Mulindi
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    Most of the conductors we use in our daily life are metals such copper wire. While these conductors are useful in many applications, they are not perfect as they have at least a small amount of resistance, which implies that some of the current is wasted. However with a special type of conductor (superconductor), this…