What are EMFs?

Other sections of this site deal with where EMFs come from and what they do. This section deals with the more fundamental question: what are EMFs?

Electric and magnetic fields (often referred to as EMFs) and the electromagnetic forces they represent are an essential part of the physical world. Their sources are the charged fundamental particles of matter (principally electrons and protons).

Electromagnetic forces are partly responsible for the cohesion of material substances and they mediate all the processes of chemistry, including those of life itself. Electric and magnetic fields occur naturally within the body in association with nerve and muscle activity. We also experience the natural magnetic field of the Earth (to which a magnetic compass responds) and natural electric fields in the atmosphere.

• Electric fields are produced by voltage. More on this
• Magnetic fields are produced by current. More on this
• EMFs are not the same thing as radiation. More on this
• Magnetic fields are often elliptically polarised. More on this

See also:

• instruments for measuring fields
• units used for fields
• screening EMFs

For information on where EMFs come from, see sources of EMFs

We have also provided a guide to the terminology used when talking about EMFs.

This site deals only with power-frequency EMFs but see here for links to information on radiofrequencies.

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