Friend #1

• Aug 9th, 2011

 

I'm assuming you're talking about electromagnetic fields here. The harmonics in an electrical field has to deal with eddy currents at different frequencies (especially high ones). This is more easily seen in applications to AC-Motors. These excess current can cause unnecessary heat resulting into loss of motor performance. Loss of performance has to do with loss of power and the characteristics of the metals/materials in the motor that responds to the AC signal.

My understanding in that particular area is fair. I hope this helps until someone more knowledgeable comes along.

If you're talking about the electrical engineering field, harmonics plays a big part in power (like the motors) and communications. To fully explain it, you might as well go attend a few classes at a college. But for basic things to wiki perhaps, electrical engineering does a lot of calculations in the frequency domain where harmonics are key. Harmonics help separate wireless transmission. Harmonics help replicate a signal in time-domain (such as the sin wave people are use to seeing). If it's a periodic wave/function, it has a harmonic.

I hope this helps.