Maybe this is a stupid question, but I dont understand what force is driving photons in light beams to go up and down, making a sine wave. How often in which it oscillates determines the frequency yeah, but why does it do that in the first place? And why is it that when light is emitted, instead of scattering like individual particles, the photons stay in a line. Like there’s a force that is keeping them in a straight line, and theres a force causing them to oscillate. Maybe they arent forces, but I just don’t get it.
In: Physics
Light behaves like any other EM wave. They have a Magnetic Field and an Electric Field that interact with each other. This allows each wave to vary, but everything sticks together.
The same principles at work in Radio waves, Microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet, visible light, X-rays, and gamma waves. We test for diffraction, reflection, refraction, and polarization to prove these are EM waves. This means, when it goes through an opening it moves similarly to a water wave, bounces back from some materials, changes direction through different materials, and have an orientation (Vertical or Horizontal).
Reference:
* [Star Gazer: What allows EM waves to oscillate?](https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/168496-what-allows-an-electromegnetic-wave-to-oscillate/)
* [Physics Classroom: Wave like behaviors of light](https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/light/Lesson-1/Wavelike-Behaviors-of-Light)
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