Essential Questions:

1.Describe a wave.
2.What are the different types of
waves?
3.Differentiate period T from
frequency f.
4.What are the different parameters of
a wave?
Review Lessons:
In physics, a wave is a disturbance or
oscillation that travels through space-
time, accompanied by a transfer of energy
through a medium.

https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/cat
egory/physics/electricity-magnets-and-circuits
There are three types of waves:
1. Mechanical waves require a material
medium to travel (air, water, ropes). These
waves are divided into three different
types.
•Transverse waves cause the medium to
move perpendicular to the direction of
the wave.
 • Longitudinal waves cause the medium to move
parallel to the direction of the wave.
• Surface waves are both transverse waves and
longitudinal waves mixed in one medium.
2. Electromagnetic waves do not require a medium
to travel (light, radio).
3. Matter waves are produced by electrons and
particles.
http://math.ucr.edu/~jdp/Relativity/EM_Propagation
.html
Electric and Magnetic Fields Together
Accelerating electrons produce
electromagnetic waves.
Electromagnetic waves are combination of
electric and magnetic fields that oscillates
perpendicular to each other to the direction
or the propagating waves.
Concept Web on the contribution of the following
scientist in the field of electricity and magnetism.

Hans Christian Oersted showed how current

carrying wire produces a magnetic field in 1820.

Andre Marie Ampere demonstrated the

magnetic effect based on the direction of
current 1821.
 Michael Faraday formulated the principle
behind electromagnetic induction 1831.

James Clerk Maxwell contributed in developing

equations that showed the relationship of
electricity and magnetism in 1873.

Heinrich Hertz showed experimental evidence of

electromagnetic waves and their link to light 1885.
Speed is defined as how fast or slow a body
moves.

d 𝒎
v = ───,
t 𝒔
 Distance between peaks,
Wave Speed = ──────────────────────── λ
Time between peaks, T
Period is the time it takes to complete one
cycle, oscillation, revolution, vibration of the
motion and is usually expressed in
min/revolution, seconds/oscillation, days/cycle
and etc.
Frequency tells how often the motion is
repeated in a given time and is usually
expressed in revolution per minute, vibration
per unit time, cycles/second and etc.
Basic Wave Parameters
The amplitude A, is half the height difference
between a peak and a trough.
The wavelength λ, is the distance between
successive peaks (or troughs).
The period T, is the time between successive
peaks (or troughs).
The wave speed c, is the speed at which peaks
(or troughs) move.
The frequency f, measures the number of
peaks (or troughs) that pass per second.
 λ
v = ───
T
since:

1
T = ─── 1
f f = ───
T
 λ
v = ───
T
λ
v = ───
1
───
f
v=λf
Sample Problem # 1.
What is the frequency of radio waves with
wavelength of 20 m?
Sample Problem # 2.
14
Light with a frequency of 7.26 x 10 Hz lies
in the violet region of the visible spectrum.
What is the wavelength of this frequency of
light?
a. in meters
b.in nm.
Prefix Symbol Multiplier Exponential
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,0
yotta Y 1024
00,000
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,0
zetta Z 1021
00
exa E 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 1018
peta P 1,000,000,000,000,000 1015
tera T 1,000,000,000,000 1012
giga G 1,000,000,000 109
mega M 1,000,000 106
kilo k 1,000 103
hecto h 100 102
deca da 10 101
1 100
deci d 0.1 10¯1
centi c 0.01 10¯2
milli m 0.001 10¯3
micro µ 0.000001 10¯6
nano n 0.000000001 10¯9
pico p 0.000000000001 10¯12
femto f 0.000000000000001 10¯15

atto a 0.000000000000000001 10¯18

zepto z 0.000000000000000000001 10¯21

yocto y 0.000000000000000000000001 10¯24

When an electron beam strikes a
block of copper, x-rays of
19
frequency 1.07 x 10 Hz are
emitted. What is the wavelength
of these x-rays in nm?
 Electromagnetic Spectrum

http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/eoc/special_topics/teach/sp_clim
ate_change/p_emspectrum_interactive.html
The different types of electromagnetic waves are
defined by the amount of energy carried
by/possessed by the photons.
Photons are bundles of wave energy.
The energy of the photon is given by the equation:
E = hf
where:
h = Planck’s constant
= 6.63 x 10-34 Joules • second (J • s)
The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is
the range of all types of EM radiation.
It includes radio wave, micro wave,
infrared, visible light, ultra violet light,
x-rays, and gamma rays.
Table 1. The Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic Wave Energy E (eV) Frequency F (Hz) Wavelength λ (µm)
Long Electrical
E < 10-10 F < 104 λ > 1010
Oscillation
Radio Waves 10-11 < E < 10-5 103 < F < 109 1011 > λ > 106
Microwaves 10-6 < E < 10-3 109 < F < 1012 106 > λ > 103
Infrared Rays 10-3 < E < 2 1012 < F < 5x1014 103 > λ > 0.77
4x1014 < F <
Visible Light 2<E<3 0.77 > λ > 0.39
8x1014
7x1014 < F <
Ultraviolet Rays 3 < E < 103 0.39 > λ > 0.01
3x1017
X-Rays 102 < E < 106 1016 < F < 1021 0.1 > λ > 10-7
Gamma Rays 104 < E < 108 1018 < F < 1023 10-4 > λ > 10-8
Cosmic Rays E > 108 F > 1022 λ < 10-7
Radio Waves Frequencies
Acrony
Band Name Frequency Wavelength
m
Extremely Low 100,000 km -
ELF 3-30 Hz
Frequency 10,000 km
10,000 km – 1000
Super Low Frequency SLF 30–300 Hz
km
Ultra Low Frequency ULF 300–3000 Hz 1000 km – 100 km
Very Low Frequency VLF 3–30 kHz 100 km – 10 km
Low Frequency LF 30–300 kHz 10 km – 1 km
Medium Frequency MF 300–3000 kHz 1 km – 100 m
High Frequency HF 3–30 MHz 100 m – 10 m
Very High Frequency VHF 30–300 MHz 10 m – 1 m
Ultra High Frequency UHF 300–3000 MHz 1 m – 100 mm
Super High Frequency SHF 3–30 GHz 100 mm – 10 mm
Review Questions: Multiple Choice.
1. What type of energy doesn't require a
medium?
a. Transverse b. Longitudinal
c. Electromagnetic d. None of the above
2. How are the types of waves arranged on the
Electromagnetic Spectrum?
a. By wavelength b. In chronological order
c. Alphabetically d. By number of atoms
3. Which kind of wave has the lowest frequency?
a. Microwaves b. Radio waves
c. Gamma rays b. Visible Light
4. What kind of energy is infrared waves?
a. Thermal b. Visible
c. Sound d. Light
5. Which color on the EM spectrum has the
shortest wavelength?
a. Green b. Yellow c. Violet d. Red
6. Which kind of wave have the highest
frequency?
a. Infrared b. Gamma
c. Ultraviolet d. Microwave
7. Which of the following is a type of wave that
causes sunburn?
a. Microwave b. Visible Light
c. Ultraviolet d. Gamma
8. Which of the following is listed from
longest to shortest wavelength?
a. Microwaves, X-rays, Ultraviolet
b. Visible Light, Microwave, Infared
c. Microwaves, X-rays, Gamma Rays
d. Gamma Rays, X-Rays, Microwaves
9. Which kind of waves are commonly used
in medical offices?
a. X-rays b. Ultraviolet c. Microwaves
d. Infrared
10. Which kind of waves are used for radar?
a. X-rays b. Ultraviolet c. Microwaves
d. Infrared
Essential Questions:
1.What is the scientific name of
blocking?
2.What are dielectrics?
3.What is reflection/refraction?
 Activity 3.1
Substance that blocks radio waves
Objectives:
1.To identify substances/materials that
blocks, absorbed, and reflects radio waves.
2.To identify the attenuation coefficient of
some substances and how it affects radio
signals.
Radio Wave Attenuation
There are two general types of matter
(substances) in the universe that affect
electromagnetic waves, conductors and
insulators which are called dielectrics by
scientists.
Most, but not all, conductors are metals,
such as copper, aluminum, silver and gold.
However, salt water is also a rather poor
conductor!
Most, but not all, dielectrics are non
metals.
Examples of dielectrics are paper, plastic,
Teflon, glass, ceramic and dry wood.
Pure water is a good dielectric
substance!
Reflection, Transmission and Absorption of Radio
Waves
Light waves are also electromagnetic waves;
however, not all materials behave the same way
at both light frequencies and radio frequencies.
For example cardboard is transparent to radio
waves and is opaque (blocks) to light waves.
Light waves have a frequency around 500 trillion
cycles per second (500 terahertz or 500 THz).
When a radio wave hits a material some of the
power is reflected at the surface and some of
the power is transmitted into and possibly
through the material.
If the material is metal, almost all of the radio
power is reflected within the first few atoms
of the material.
A small amount of power is absorbed by the
silver atoms and converted to heat.
Example:
A silvered mirror reflects about 95 % of
light power and about 95% of radio power
and absorbs about 5 % of light and radio
power.
If the material is a dielectric, some of the
power is reflected at the surface and some
of the power travels through the material
Example:
Some light reflects from the surface of clear
glass and some light travels through the glass.
The same is true for clear glass and radio
waves.
As the radio wave travels through the dielectric
material some of the power is absorbed
generating heat and some of the power travels
through and comes out of the other side.
Example:
Light traveling through sun glasses has a few
percent reflected at the surface and between 10%
and 90% of the light power absorbed in
heating inside the glass and a few percent of the
power comes out the other side.
Depending on the absorbing material in the glass,
the same is true for radio waves.
However, the light absorbing material in the glass
is usually different than radio wave absorbing
This power absorption in a dielectric is called
the Attenuation Coefficient of the material.
How much power travels through a dielectric
depends on both the thickness of the material
and its attenuation coefficient.
Dielectrics such as cardboard, paper, clear glass,
Teflon, some plastics, pure water and many
building materials have low attenuation
coefficients and radio waves reflect from them
and also easily pass through them.
Example:
You can receive radio waves in most houses
made of brick, wood, plaster, wall board,
cement etc.
Buildings made of metal or metal
coated glasses, or steel reinforced concrete,
reflect most of the radio energy and you
cannot receive radio signals inside of them.
Earth contains many different materials that
absorb radio waves and so you do not
receive radio waves inside of long tunnels.
However, some long tunnels have wires
placed through the tunnel to transmit radio
waves, so that drivers and emergency
vehicles can still hear their radios while
driving through them.
Open your book on page 155-159 and answer
the following questions by group for 30 minutes
only. Use one whole set paper. Pass at 11:15.
1. How do we communicate the rest of the world
using microwave. Explain further.
2. How RADAR uses microwave?
3. How cellphone makes use of antennas to
transmit communication?
4. How infrared Is being used?
http://www.science-animations.com/support-files/satellite.swf
Review Questions:
1. Buildings made of metal or metal
coated glasses, or steel reinforced concrete,
__________ most of the radio energy and you
cannot receive radio signals inside of them.
2. The power absorption in a dielectric is called
the ___________________ of the material.
3. Insulators are also called ___________by
scientists.
4. What is meant by the acronym ITU?
5. Which electromagnetic wave type
has the longest wavelength?
6. Which electromagnetic wave type
has the shortest wavelength?
7. Which EW has the greatest
frequency?
8. Which EW has the lowest frequency?
9. What is the scientific name for
blocking?
10. What is the type of satellite that is
used in communication?
11. What consist of the radar system?
12. It is a radio transmitter and receiver
that uses microwaves which depends on
overlapping network of cells.
13. It agitates the water molecules
within the food, thus creating
molecular friction which then
produces heat that will cook it.
14. The type of electromagnetic
waves that depends on temperature
o
at 500 C.