Special & General Relativity Questions and Answers
Can light be altered by a magnetic field?
Light can be polarized by magnetic fields. Because light is an 'electromagnetic' phenomenon, it can be modified by interaction with both electric and magnetic fields. For example, radio wavelength 'light' can be modified by passage through a plasma of charged particles and magnetic fields in many very complex ways.
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All answers are provided by Dr. Sten Odenwald (Raytheon STX) for the NASA Astronomy Cafe, part of the NASA Education and Public Outreach program.