Electromagnetic radiation

EMR has both electric andmagnetic field components, which oscillate in phase perpendicular to

each other and perpendicular to the direction of energy propagation.

Electromagnetic radiation is classified according to the frequency of its wave.

Theelectromagnetic spectrum, in order of increasing frequency and decreasing wavelength,
consists of radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-
rays and gamma rays. The eyes of various organisms sense a small and somewhat variable
window of frequencies called the visible spectrum. The photon is the quantum of the
electromagnetic interaction and the basic "unit" of light and all other forms of electromagnetic
radiation .

A wave consists of successive troughs and crests, and the distance between two adjacent
crests or troughs is called the wavelength. Waves of the electromagnetic spectrum vary in size,
from very long radio waves the size of buildings to very short gamma rays smaller than atom
nuclei. Frequency is inversely proportional to wavelength, according to the equation:

where v is the speed of the wave (c in a vacuum, or less in other media), f is the frequency and
λ is the wavelength. As waves cross boundaries between different media, their speeds change
but their frequencies remain constant.

The energy in electromagnetic waves is sometimes called radiant energy.

Any electromagnetic radiation can heat a material when it is absorbed.

Electromagnetic spectrum with light highlighted

Arbitrary electromagnetic waves can always be expressed by Fourier analysis in terms of
sinusoidal monochromatic waves which can be classified into these regions of the spectrum.

Radio waves are not ionizing radiation, as the energy per photon is too small.

Electromagnetic waves as a general phenomenon were predicted by the classical laws

of electricity and magnetism, known asMaxwell's equations.
wn as polarization

The Stefan–Boltzmann law, also known as Stefan's law, states that the total energy radiated
per unit surface area of a black body per unit time(known variously as the black-
body irradiance, energy flux density,radiant flux, or the emissive power), j*, is
directly proportional to the fourth power of the black body's thermodynamic temperature T (also
calledabsolute temperature):

an inverse-square law is any physical law stating that a specified physical quantity or strength

isinversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source of that physical quantity.

The intensity (or illuminance or irradiance) of light or other linear waves radiating from a point

source (energy per unit of area perpendicular to the source) is inversely proportional to the
square of the distance from the source.