Abstract

Comparison of Maxwell?s Equations with Faraday?s work (the foundation of Maxwell) shows the equations do not describe electromagnetic waves; they only describe the associated field intensities. By contrast, Faraday?s work shows that an electromagnetic wave is a sequence of magnetically coupled photons where each photon is formed of a double loop (a figure eight) electric field with a magnetic field coating or sheath. The photons interact with and travel on Faraday?s electric fields that permeate otherwise ?empty space?. The physical size of a given photon depends on its energy and its interaction with the electric fields in the local environment. In addition, due to the magnetic sheath a photon can exchange energy with various atoms/ions. Finally there is a brief discussion of a critical difference between physical and mathematical waves, a difference known to many students but apparently forgotten by most scientists.