Electromagnetic Waves

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http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/waves_particles/index.html

Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic waves consist of a combination of oscillating electrical and magnetic fields,
perpendicular to each other. This is difficult to visualize, however the waveform has similar
characteristics of other types of waves.

Although they seem different, radio waves, microwaves, x-rays, and even visible light are
all electromagnetic waves. They are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and each has a
different range of wavelengths, which cause they waves to affect matter differently.

The creation and detection of the wave depend much on the range of wavelengths.

Questions you may have include:

 What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

 What are the characteristics of electromagnetic waves?
 How are these waves created and detected?

Electromagnetic spectrum
The range of wavelengths for electromagnetic waves--from the very long to the very short--
is called the Electromagnetic Spectrum:

 Radio and TV waves are the longest usable waves, having a wavelength of 1 mile
(1.5 kilometer) or more.
 Microwaves are used in telecommunication as well as for cooking food.
 Infrared waves are barely visible. They are the deep red rays you get from a heat
lamp.
 Visible light waves are the radiation you can see with your eyes. Their wavelengths
are in the range of 1/1000 centimeter.
 Ultraviolet rays are what give you sunburn and are used in "black lights" that make
object glow.
 X-rays go through the body and are used for medical purposes.
 Gamma rays are dangerous rays coming from nuclear reactors and atomic bombs.
They have the shortest wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum of about
1/10,000,000 centimeter.
Characteristics of electromagnetic waves
Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves, similar to water waves in the ocean or the
waves seen on a guitar string. This is as opposed to the compression waves of sound. As
you learned in Wave Motion, all waves have amplitude, wavelength, velocity and frequency.

Amplitude

The amplitude of electromagnetic waves relates to its intensity or brightness (as in the case
of visible light).

With visible light, the brightness is usually measured in lumens. With other wavelengths the
intensity of the radiation, which is power per unit area or watts per square meter is used.
The square of the amplitude of a wave is the intensity.

Wavelength

The wavelengths of electromagnetic waves go from extremely long to extremely short and
everything in between. The wavelengths determine how matter responds to the
electromagnetic wave, and those characteristics determine the name we give that particular
group of wavelengths.

Velocity

The velocity of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum is approximately 186,000 miles per

second or 300,000 kilometers per second, the same as the speed of light. When these
waves pass through matter, they slow down slightly, according to their wavelength.

Frequency

The frequency of any waveform equals the velocity divided by the wavelength. The units of
measurement are in cycles per second or Hertz.

Creation and detection

When electrons move, they create a magnetic field. When electrons move back and forth or
oscillate, their electric and magnetic fields change together, forming an electromagnetic
wave. This oscillation can come from atoms being heated and thus moving about rapidly or
from alternating current (AC) electricity.

The opposite effect occurs when an electromagnetic wave hits matter. In such a case, it
could cause atoms to vibrate, creating heat, or it can cause electrons to oscillate, depending
on the wavelength of the radiation.

Sources of electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic radiation is emitted from all matter with a temperature above absolute
zero. Temperature is the measure of the average energy of vibrating atoms and that
vibration causes them to give off electromagnetic radiation. As the temperature increases,
more radiation and shorter wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation are emitted.

Sources of long wavelengths

Microwaves, radio, and television waves are emitted from electronic devices. Sparks and
alternating current cause vibrations at the appropriate frequencies.

Sources of visible light

Visible light is emitted from matter hotter than about 700 degrees Celsius. This matter is
said to be incandescent. The sun, a fire, and the ordinary light bulb are incandescent
sources of light.

As the element in an electric stove gets warms, it gives off infrared radiation, and then
when it gets hotter than 700 degrees, it starts to glow. Visible light is being emitted from
the hot element.

Sources of short wavelengths

By smashing high-energy electrons into other particles, such as atoms in a metal, X-rays
are created.

Gamma rays are emitted from nuclear reactions, atomic bombs, and explosions on the Sun
and other stars. 

Detectors of electromagnetic radiation

There are a number of different types of detectors of electromagnetic radiation. We know

the common ones for detecting visible light: the eye, camera film, and the detectors on
some calculators. Your skin can also detect both visible light and infrared heat rays.

Electronic devices are necessary to detect most of the longer waves, such as radio waves.
Special film can detect shorter wavelengths such as X-rays

Summary
Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves that travel at the speed of light. The spectrum
of their wavelengths results in waves that are used in many of our useful devices. The
waves are formed by heat, electronics, and nuclear forces.

Introduction

Starting from the smallest wavelengths (highest frequencies) and leading up to the biggest
wavelengths, I am going to discuss each type of electromagnetic radiation, giving sources, means
of detection and uses.

All these waves travel at the speed of light, that is, 299792459.0ms-1 (± 8). The speed of light is
called c for ease of use. The wavelength and frequency of a wave are linked by the equation
c=lf

The shorter the wavelength the greater the penetration.

Gamma Rays

Wavelength: < 10-11m

Sources: Gamma rays are emitted from the nuclei of radioactive atoms during decay.
Radioactive decay is spontaneous. This can occur when a neutron splits into an electron and a
proton. K-capture also releases gamma radiation. K-capture is the capture of the inner most
electron, combined with one of the nucleus' protons, to make a neutron. In both cases, the new
products are of a slightly mass than the originals. This mass defect causes a release of gamma
radiation (E = Dmc2).

On Earth gamma rays originate largely from cosmic radiation. One high-activity source of
gamma rays is cobalt-60 (60Co).

Detection: Bubble chambers, geiger counters (although these are not very sensitive to gamma
rays, since the latter are not very ionizing), photographic plates (silver iodide emulsion darkens
when hit by gamma radiation).

Bubble chambers use a pressurized tank of H2. High energy particles are sent through the
Hydrogen, ionize it, and one can then follow the paths of the bubbles of H2 produced using
photographs.

Uses: Gamma rays can be used in many different situations.In radiotherapy they are replacing X-
rays from expensive X-ray machines in the treatment of cancer. The rapidly growing cells of the
diseased tissue which cause cancer are even more affected by radiation than healthy cells.

Medical instruments, bandages, and such like are sterilized (after packing, to prevent
contamination and to make handling easier) by brief exposure to gamma rays. This treatment
kills any microbiological organisms which may be on the instruments, thus preventing
unintentional spreading of disease. No radioactivity is produced in the material irradiated by the
gamma rays and thus this is perfectly safe.

A similar procedure is carried out on foods, extending their "life"-time considerably. For
example, meat can be made stay fresh for fifteen days instead of three of four days.
Comments: Gamma rays are the shortest waves we can detect with current instruments. They
are very intense, penetrating and dangerous to biological life, and must therefore be handled with
care.

X-Rays

Wavelength: 10-11m to 10-9m

Sources: The bombardment of targets of heavy atoms (typically tungsten) by fast moving
electrons causes energy levels in the target to change. When the target atoms' excited electrons
drop back to their original level, they release fixed quanta of electromagnetic energy. (This is
called the photoelectric effect). Basically, X-rays are produced whenever electrons are rapidly
brought to rest by matter, however only < 0.5% of the electron's kinetic energy gets converted
into these X-rays.

Detection: Photographic plates, fluorescence of certain chemicals (eg, barium platnocyanide),

ionization chambers (similar to geiger counters but at a higher pressure).

Uses: The most well known use of X-rays is for medical scans. These are commonly known as
"x-rays", this, of course, is incorrect since this is the name of the wave not the method. The
method is really called radiography or X-ray photography. This form of detection uses it's
fluorescence property.

Another use of X-rays in the medical profession is the use of short wavelength X-rays in a
fashion similar to gamma rays for the killing of cancerous cells.

Radiography is also used in industry for the examining of potentially damaged machinery to
ascertain the cause of any difficulties, or to verify castings or welded joints prior to distribution.

X-Rays are also used with Bragg diffraction.

Comments: There is no difference between the longest wavelength gamma rays and shortest
wavelength X-rays (10-11m). Which name is used usually depends on source and use. X-rays
were so called because at first their nature was unknown, for some reason the name stuck once
it's nature had been discovered. Short wavelength X-rays are called hard X-rays, long
wavelength X-rays are called soft X-rays. X-rays -- just like all eletromagnetic rays -- are not
deflected by electric or magnetic fields, and it can thus be deduced that they do not carry a
charge.
When X-rays come into contact with atoms they may ionize them (this is cause by the
electromagnetic wave's strong electric field). This is why X-rays can be detected in ionization
chambers.

Ultraviolet Light

Wavelength: 10-9m to 3.5 × 10-7m

Sources: Ultra hot bodies, mercury vapor lamp, electric arcs (sparks).

The mercury vapor lamp works by photoelectric effect (exciting e- in the mercury and thus
releasing photons of the right frequency).

Detection: Photographic plates, fluorescence of certain chemicals, photocells, photoelectric

devices.

Uses: UV light produces vitamins (in particular Vitamin D) in the skin and causes sun-tans.
Note, though, that UV light is harmful even in modestly large doses. The shorter the wavelength
the more dangerous the UV light is. It is used in bacteriology to kill some cells.

Comments: UV light was found shortly after infrared (early 1800s). Much of the UV light
emitted by the sun is absorbed by the ozone layer in the Earth's atmosphere. Since our eyes are
especially sensitive to UV light, a UV lamp should never be viewed directly. Snow-blindness,
which is what skiiers suffer from when skiing on sunny areas, is caused by UV. Manufacturers of
washing powders often add fluorescent powders to their products to live up to the claim that their
product washes whiter than white, since these powders will absorb UV light and reradiate it as
bright visible light.

"Visible" Light

Wavelength: 3.5 × 10-7m to 7.5 × 10-7m

Sources: Very hot bodies (progressively red-hot, yellow-hot and then white-hot), discharge
lamps (eg, most bulbs), phosphorence and fluorescence of other types of electromagnetic
radiation into visible light.

Detection: Photographic plates, photocells, the human eye.

Uses: Cathode ray tubes, which emit light, are used for televisions, computer monitors and the
like. LED displays are used for cheap low resolution visual information. LCDs use the reflection
of light for a similar goal. Bulbs are used for lighting which human beings and other animals
then use as an aid for (amongst other things) location resolving, navigation, communication, and
peripheral/accessory movement (eg, lifting cups of tea).

Apart from all the everyday types of visual communication there are a few other less obvious
uses for visible light (which do not depend on it's visible to humans property). One is for high-
speed fibre optic links, where red light lasers, green light lasers and (in the future) blue light
lasers can carry digital data across long distances at very high speed. With the emergence of the
internet these high-bandwidth solutions hold the key to global information sharing since the
current infrastructure is not be capable of sustaining the emerging traffic.

Comments: The label "Visible" light demonstrates the ego-centricity of the human race. The
short side of infrared and the long side of ultraviolet are separated by an extremely short band
(relatively speaking) of radiation which is detectable by the human eye. It is unlikely that another
race of intelligent beings, if it had a different natively "visible" section, would highlight the small
part between the infrared and ultraviolet as being important.

Infrared

Wavelength: 7.5 × 10-7m to 10-3m

Sources: All hot bodies.

Detection: Photographic plates, heat sensitive detectors (eg, thermometers), thermopiles.

Uses: Infrared radiation is mainly heat. All moderately hot bodies emit infrared. This is often
used to detect human beings (which, being constantly at 310K, are considered hot) by groups
like the army (for the killing of humans), and the police (for the prevention of the killing of
humans). Firefighters also use infrared detectors to locate the sources of fires (which are
naturally hotter than the blazes around them).

Infrared photography also enables pictures to be taken in the dark (no visible light) or in hazy
conditions (when visible light is scattered more than infrared).

Infrared radiation is also used in optical fibres, like visible light. This was the original
wavelength of the lasers used in this communications method. Infrared is also used for point to
point communications.
Infrared is also used for therapeutic purposes.

Comments: The use of Infrared in computer communications is governed by the IrDA standard.

Microwaves

Wavelength: 10-3m to 10-1m

Sources: Special electrical circuits (klystron, magnetron).

Detection: Resonance in similar special electrical circuits (also klystron, magnetron).

Uses: Greatly used in air-borne communications, for example with mobile phones. The shorter
the wavelength the greater the bandwidth. Microwaves are also used in point to point "beaming"
of energy, it has been suggested that orbiting power satellites could simply "beam" the energy
produced to earth based stations via microwave links. However this is still only theory since
security precautions would have to be considered to prevent these satellites from being hijacked
and turned against civilian areas for the purpose of frying people.

Comments: Note the size of these wavelengths - the longer microwaves' wavelengths are
literally measured in centimeters. Contrast this with gamma rays, whose wavelengths are sub-
atomic in size. Many stars are microwave emitters.

Radio

Wavelength: 10-1m to 104m

Sources: Transmitters (using inductance and capacitance), sparks (eg, from brushes of
unsuppressed motors).

Detection: Receivers containing inductance and capacitance which are set into resonance by the
wave.

Uses: Medium range air-borne communication.

Comments: There are five main classes of radio waves, they are:

1. Ultra High Frequency (UHF) - 10-1m to 100m - TV, radar, airport control
2. Very High Frequency (VHF) - 100m to 101m - FM radio
 3. Short Wave Radio (Ultra High Frequency) - 101m to 102m - Amateur radio, police,
ambulances
4. Medium Wave Radio (Ultra High Frequency) - 102m to 103m - AM radio (national
stations)
5. Long Wave Radio (Ultra High Frequency) - 103m to 104m - AM radio (international
stations)

COOL FACT:
Electromagnetic waves spell the acronym G-X-U-VIM-R this is in order of increasing
wavelength(decreasing frequency)