ELECTROMAGNETIC

SPECTRUM
Name: ________________
Class: _________________
Index: ________________

At the end of the topic you should be able to

state that all electromagnetic waves are transverse waves that
travel with the same high speed in vacuo and state the
magnitude of this speed
describe the main components of the electromagnetic spectrum
discuss the role of the following components in the stated
applications:
1.
radiowaves in radio and television communication
2.
microwaves in satellite television and microwave oven
3.
infra-red waves in infra-red remote controllers and
intruder alarms
4.
light in optical fibres for medical uses and
telecommunications
5.
ultra-violet in sunbeds, and sterilisation
6.
X-rays in radiological and engineering applications
7.
Gamma rays in medical treatment
describe the effects of absorbing electromagnetic waves, e.g.
heating, ionisation and damage to living cells and tissue

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Properties

An electromagnetic wave is produced by the

simultaneous vibration of electric and
magnetic fields.
All electromagnetic waves

transfer energy from one place to another

are transverse waves

can travel through vacuum. They DO NOT

require any medium to travel from one
point to another.

travel through a vacuum at the speed of 3

x 108 ms-1.

obey wave properties like reflection and

refraction.

carry no electrical charge as they are

neither positively nor negatively charged.

obey the wave equation: v = f.

 If electromagnetic waves travel in vacuum, then for the

wave equation

v = f
v = c,
where c is the symbol for the speed of light in vacuum
c = f
3.0 x 108 = f
Their frequencies do not change when they travel from
one medium to another. (e.g.. From water to glass). This
is because their frequency depends only on the source
of the wave. Only their speeds and wavelengths change
from one medium to another.

Electromagnetic spectrum
Components of electromagnetic spectrum
Electromagnetic Spectrum

Gamma
rays

X-rays

short
wavelength
< 10-12 m
high
frequency

Ultraviolet

Visible
light

Infrared

Microwave

Radio
wave

long
wavelength
Several
km
low
frequency

Speed in a vacuum
is constant
c = 3 x 108 m s-1
Ronald McDonald Is Very Ugly eXcept Gary

Applications of electromagnetic spectrum

For each component, you need to know
Range of wavelength
Its uses
Any harmful effects (The higher the frequency,
the larger the amount of energy)
Source
Detector

Radio wave
has wavelength of 10-1 to 105 m
Can move around obstacles
is used in radio communication and television transmission
over long distances (LW, MW, SW, VHF, UHF). Radio
telescope.
source: TV and radio transmitters
detector: aerials of TV and radio
receivers/antenna
Television transmission is made possible
with the use of VHF and UHF radio waves

Microwave
has wavelength of 10-3 to 10-1 m (0.001 m to 0.1m)
is used in satellite communication and transmission, radar
systems and microwave cooking/microwave oven
travels in straight line without losing much of its energy
source: electronic devices
(eg. cavity magnetron in
microwaves)
detector: microwave
receivers

satellite station

speed-monitoring
radar

Infrared radiation
is the radiation beyond the red end of the visible
spectrum
has wavelength of 10-7 to 10-3 m
is used in remote control devices, intruder alarms, infrared photography and radiant heaters
is emitted by hot objects
source: warm bodies
detector: special photographic films,
blackened thermometers and
thermocouples

an infra-red photograph

Visible light
can be seen by human eye
has wavelength of 4 x 10-7 to 7 x 10-7 m
is used in optical fibres, medical
usage, telecommunications,
chemical spectral analysis and
photosynthesis, endoscopy.
Lasers for medical, industrial and
surveying use.
source: hot bodies, lasers and sun
detector: eyes, photographic film
and photocells

laser surgery

Ultraviolet radiation
has wavelength of 10-8 to 10-7 m
stimulates our bodies to produce vitamin D
Can cause tanning, overexposure can lead to skin cancer
is used in sunbeds, fluorescent tubes,
sterilisation, forgery detection and
fluorescence in washing powders
source: sun, mercury vapour and
lamps
detector: photographic film,
fluorescent screens, dyes and
photocells

overexposure to UV radiation can

cause skin cancer

X ray
has wavelength of 10-13 to 10-8 m
is penetrating and can cause damage to tissues
and organisms
Doctors, nurses and people working in X-ray
environment have to wear protective clothing
to shield themselves from X ray
is used in medical and dental diagnostic tools
and engineering applications. Check for
flaws/cracks in metals. Detect artwork forgery.
Airport scanners. Crystal structure analysis.
source: x-ray tubes
detector: photographic film and fluorescent
screens

x-ray photograph of hand

Gamma ray (HIGHEST ENERGY!!!!,

HIGHEST FREQUENCY)
has wavelength of 10-14 to 10-10 m
is penetrating and can cause damage to living tissues and
organisms
is used in treatment of cancer (gamma knives sharp beam of
gamma ray) and checking of welds, under controlled situations.
Sterilising equipment.
source: cosmic rays, radioactive substances and nuclear reaction
detector: Geiger-Mller counters (GM tube), bubble/cloud
chambers and photographic film

Effects of EM Waves on Cells and Tissue

Exposure to electromagnetic radiation primarily causes heating effects
such as the pain of sunburn or skin cancer. However, over-exposure
may result in harmful effects such as pain of sunburn or skin cancer.
EM waves can be classified as either ionising radiation or nonionising radiation:
Ionising radiations are extremely high frequency EM waves which
include X-rays and gamma rays. They have enough photon energy to
produce ionisation (a process where one or more electrons are
removed from a neutral atom by radiation). It is a harmful process
leading to destruction or modification of living cells.
Non-ionising radiations are the part of the EM spectrum which has
photon energies too weak to produce ionisation. Examples are ultraviolet, visible light, infra-red radiation, microwave and radio wave.

Memory aid (song) for Electromagnetic Spectrum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjOGNVH3D4Y

Electromagnetic
waves

consist of

are

Transverse
waves
with speed in
vacuum

c = 3 x 108 m s-1

Components

Applications

Radio waves

Radio and television

communication

Microwaves

Satellite television and

telephone

Infra-red
waves .

Home electrical appliances,

remote controls and intruder
alarms

Light

Optical fibres in medical usage

and telecommuncation
Sunbeds, fluorescent tubes and
sterilisation

Ultra-violet
.

Medical use and engineering

applications

X-rays

Medical treatment

Gamma rays

Reference:
http://blogs.edf.org/climate411/2007/07/25/greenhouse_effect/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2001650_advantages-dishnetwork-cable.html
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/police-grapple-with-defectivedetectors/2008/07/22/1216492432489.html
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/auckland-places/1/4
http://www.snowyrangevision.com/laserSurgery.html
http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/phrase/710/x-ray.html