EM Wave

Theoritical questions

1. Name the part of the electromagnetic spectrum of wavelength 10 -2 m and mention its one
application.
2. Write the following radiations in ascending order in respect of their frequencies ;
X-rays, Microwaves, UV rays and radiowaves.
3. Name the part of electromagnetic spectrum which is suitable for
(i) radar systems used in aircraft navigation
(ii) treatment of cancer tumours.

4. Name the EM waves used for studying crystal structure of solids. What is its frequency
range?
5. Which part of electromagnetic spectrum has largest penetrating power?
6. Name the part of electromagnetic spectrum whose wavelength lies in the range of 10 -10 m.
Give its one use.
7. To which part of the electromagnetic spectrum does a wave of frequency 5 × 10 19 Hz
belong?
8. To which part of the electromagnetic spectrum does a wave of frequency 3 × 10 13 Hz
belong?
9. Name the types of e.m. radiations which
(i) are used in destroying cancer cells,
(ii) cause tanning of the skin and
(iii) maintain the earth’s warmth.
10. An e.m. wave, Y1, has a wavelength of 1 cm while another e.m. wave, Y2, has a
frequency of 1015 Hz. Name these two types of waves and write one useful application for
each.
11. Identify the following electromagnetic radiations as per the wavelengths given below.
Write one application of each. (All India 2008)
(a) 10-3 nm
(b) 10-3 m
(c) 1 nm
12. Identify the following electromagnetic radiations as per the wavelengths given below.
Write one application of each.
(a) 1 mm
(b) 10-12 m
(c) 10-8 m
13. Draw a sketch of a plane electromagnetic wave propagating along the z-direction. Depict
clearly the directions of electric and magnetic fields varying sinusoidally with z.
14. How are the magnitudes of the electric and magnetic fields related to the velocity of the
em wave?
Answers
1. Microwave
2. Radiowaves, microwaves, UV-rays and X-rays.
3. (i) Microwave, (ii) Gamma rays
 4. X-ray
5. Gamma rays
6. X-ay
7. Gamma rays
8. IR
9. (i) γ-rays, (ii) Ultraviolet rays, (iii) Infrared rays
10. Y1= Micro, Y2=UV
11. (i) Gamma, (ii) Micro, (iii) X-ray
12. (i) Micro, (ii) Gamma, (iii) UV

MCQ
1. The speed of electromagnetic wave in vacuum depends upon the source of radiation
(a) Increases as we move from -rays to radio waves
(b) Decreases as we move from -rays to radio waves
(c) Is same for all of them
(d) None of these
2. Which of the following radiations has the least wavelength
(a)  -rays (b) -rays (c) -rays (d) X-rays
3. Electromagnetic radiation of highest frequency is
(a) Infrared radiations (b) Visible radiation (c) Radio waves (d) -rays
4. Which of the following shows green house effect
(a) Ultraviolet rays (b) Infrared rays (c) X-rays (d) None
of these
5. Which of the following waves have the maximum wavelength
(a) X-rays (b) I.R. rays (c) UV rays (d) Radio
waves
6. Electromagnetic waves are transverse in nature is evident by
(a) Polarization (b) Interference
(c) Reflection (d) Diffraction
7.
⃗ ⃗
If E and B are the electric and magnetic field vectors of e.m. waves then the direction of
propagation of e.m. wave is along the direction of
⃗
(a) E
⃗
(b) B
⃗ ⃗
(c) E ×B (d) None
of these
8. Biological importance of Ozone layer is
(a) It stops ultraviolet rays
(b)Ozone rays reduce green house effect
(c) Ozone layer reflects radio waves
(d) Ozone layer controls O2 / H 2 radio in atmosphere
9. Speed c of E.M. waves through vacuum is given by
 (a)
c= √ μ0 ε 0
(b)
c=
1
√ μ0 ε 0 (c)
c=
√ μ0
ε0

(d)
c=
√ ε0
μ0

10. The wavelength 21 cm emitted by atomic hydrogen in interstellar space belongs to

(a) Radio waves (b) Infrared waves (c) Microwaves (d) -rays

11. Which rays are not the portion of electromagnetic spectrum

(a) X-rays (b) Microwaves (c) -rays (d)Radio waves
12. Radio wave diffract around building although light waves do not. The reason is that radio
waves
(a) Travel with speed larger than c(b)Have much larger wavelength than light
(c) Carry news (d)Are not electromagnetic waves
13. The frequencies of X-rays, -rays and ultraviolet rays are respectively a, b and c. Then
(a) a < b, b > c (b) a > b, b > c (c) a > b, b < c (d)a < b, b < c
Answers
1. C
2. A
3. D
4. B
5. D
6. A
7. C
8. A
9. B
10. A
11. C
12. B
13. A