CAMBRIDGE IGCSE™ PHYSICS: WORKSHEET 15C

Name ___________________________________ Date _____________

Worksheet 15C: The electromagnetic

spectrum
In this worksheet you will think about the different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, their uses
and potential hazards.
1 Every day we make use of the electromagnetic spectrum.
a Describe what is meant by the word ‘spectrum’.

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group of colors that are produced by refraction

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b Describe two differences between electromagnetic waves and sound waves.

1 _____________________________________________________________________________
electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light: 3x10^8 m/s

sound waves travel at the speed of 340 m/s

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2 _____________________________________________________________________________
electromagnetic waves can travel in vacuum

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sound waves cannot

2 a List the seven regions of the electromagnetic spectrum in order, starting with those of
longest wavelength.

1 _______________
radio wave 4 _______________
visible light 7 _______________
gamma rays

2 _______________
microwaves 5 _______________
ultraviolet

3 _______________
infrared 6 _______________
xray

b State which region of the electromagnetic spectrum has the highest frequency.
_______________________________________________________________________________
gamma rays
3 Write down the speed that electromagnetic waves travel in a vacuum.
_______________
3 x10^8 m/s

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 CAMBRIDGE IGCSE™ PHYSICS: WORKSHEET 15C

4 A learner goes outside on a sunny day. The learner is exposed to three types of electromagnetic
radiation from the Sun.
a List these three types of electromagnetic radiation. You can list them in any order.

1 _________________________
ultraviolet

2 _________________________
visible light

3 _________________________
infrared

b State one of these types of radiation that can be hazardous to humans and explain the hazard.
Type of radiation: ________________________________________________________________
ultraviolet
Explanation of hazard: ____________________________________________________________
it can cause skin cancer, eyes damages, etc

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5 A person goes to hospital with pain in the knee. Doctors suggest that an X-ray is taken of the
person’s knee.
During the X-ray, the hospital staff stand behind a screen made from lead. Lead is a metal.
Explain why the staff go behind a screen.

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lead absorbs x rays

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6 Satellites can be used for digital communications.
a State the two types of orbits that are used for these satellites.

1 _____________________________________________________________________________
Low Earth orbit

2 _____________________________________________________________________________
Medium Earth orbit

b Explain the difference in these types of orbit.

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LEO satellites orbit at an altitude below 2,000km/1,243 miles above mean sea level, while MEO
satellites orbit in the region between LEO and GEO (geostationary) satellites –
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2,000-35,800km/1,243-22,245 miles.

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 CAMBRIDGE IGCSE™ PHYSICS: WORKSHEET 15C

7 a State the region of the electromagnetic spectrum used by:

i mobile phones

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radiowaves

ii bluetooth devices.

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radiowaves

b Explain why mobile phones and bluetooth devices use these regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum.

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safe, will not diffract (long wavelength)

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