Photons

So i have a question, i posted this on /v/ and they sent me here.
As you all know light is a propagating electromagnetic wave. Single photons of light are made when an electron moves outside its shell becuase of the excess energy it has. As it falls back down its electric field generates an offset magnetic field. This then creates an electric field and so on.

My question is this, if light is just two self-propagating fields then how can it have direction?

For instance if one electron produces a photon from moving, which then propagates as an electromagnetic wave how do you know what direction said photon will be moving as the fields will not have a direction.

On a related note, is the magnetic field offset from the electric field as cos and sine curve? if not how does this fit in with the conservation of energy?
Edit i was told that a photon gets a predetermined momentum when it forms? What is with that, and how is it determined?

photons = light energy...nuf said. :3

how do you know what direction said photon will be moving?
conservation of momentum

is the magnetic field offset from the electric field?
yes by 90 degrees, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Light-wave.svg

i was told that a photon gets a predetermined momentum when it forms? What is with that, and how is it determined?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photon
see p = h-bar*k

>>2
No, that's not enough said you idiot.  If you have no idea what you're talking about don't bother responding to a question.

>>3
direction of said photon is both sourced from the emanation (place where the photon is made into a photon and is being pushed/pulled out) and refraction (the point at which the photon is both absorbed and deflected yielding a reactive emanation due to interaction [between photon and electron] with any given surface, ie resulting in the permeation of color.)

That's about as close as I can summarize it in laymen's terms.

>>1
Actually I didn't know any of that beyond the second sentence.

Photons = atomic particles + thermal inertia + quantum jumping

nuf said. :3

>>3
Photons are created when an electron in an atomic orbital jumps to a lower state.  These atomic orbitals only have discrete allowable energies, so we can compute ahead of time how much energy the electron has in each orbital in a particular atomic element.  When it jumps down an orbital, the amount of energy lost must all go into the photon, which determines its frequency (which then determines the momentum).

If I recall, a photon can also be created when a positron and electron collide and annihilate each other; in this case the photon energy (and hence momentum) is determined by the energy of the original positron and electron.

lol...but what causes the electron in an atomic orbital to jump to a lower state, genius?

>>8
A lot of things can.  Why don't you actually read the article you posted instead of just glancing at it, "genius?"  See the stimulated and spontaneous emission section, in case you're not smart enough to find it yourself

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>>11
And a happy Christmas to you too!

>>11
i'm having duck

>>10
stimulated emission

>>10
Actually, it bares no interest to me...for I am a troll...here me roar...*mew*

The wave can have a direction because the two self-propagating waves can be physically situated in only two orthogonal structures. This determines the direction. Namely, the Electric field could be on the x+ axis, and Magnetic field on the y+; or the Magnetic or Electric field could be on the y- or x- axis. Essentially it comes down to positives and negatives. Both waves may have the same spatial coordinate sign, or opposites.

The structures are so definite that knowing the slightest bit about one of the waves (such as it's period) unlocks the other details associated with that electromagnetic wave.

Edit i was told that a photon gets a predetermined momentum when it forms? What is with that, and how is it determined?
Edit
I raged. If you are a troll, you can be proud of yourself.

:3