Electromagnetic waves

and Electromagnetic
Spectrum
At the end of this topic
students be able to answer
the following:
• What are electromagnetic waves?
• What are the types and order of EM
waves from lowest to highest
frequency or longest to shortest
wavelength?
• What are some examples of EM waves
we encounter in everyday life?
Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic Waves
 Transverse waves
without a medium
 They can travel
through empty space

They travel as
vibrations in electric
and magnetic fields.
- Have some magnetic
and some electrical
properties to them.
EM Waves travel VERY
FAST – around 300,000
km/sec (the speed of
light)
At this speed they can go
around the world 8 times
in one second.
Electromagnetic
Spectrum – name for
the range of EM
waves when placed
in order of
increasing energy.
Notice the
wavelength is long
(radiowave) and
short in (gamma
rays)
 Radio waves
- Have the longest wavelength and
lowest frequencies of all EM waves.
Anything that emits heat emits
radiation across the entire spectrum,
but in different amounts. Stars,
planets and other cosmic bodies emit
radio waves. Radio and television
stations and cellphone companies all
produce radio waves that carry signals
to be received by the antennae in
your television, radio or cellphone.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
measure the time it takes the
radio waves to travel from
several satellites to the
receiver, determining the
distance to each satellite.

A radio picks up radio waves

through an antenna and
converts it to sound waves.
-each radio stations in an area
broadcasts at a different
frequency.
MRI (Magnetic
Resonance Imaging)
uses short wave
radio waves with a
magnet to create an
image.
 MICROWAVES
Have a shortest
wavelength and highest
frequency than the radio
waves the second-lowest
frequency waves in the EM
spectrum. Microwaves are
used for radar, landline
phone calls and the
transmission of computer
data.
Microwave
-Used in microwave ovens.
-Waves transfer energy to the
water in the food causing them to
vibrate which in turns transfers
energy in the form of heat to the
food.

Radar (Radio Detection and

Ranging)
-Used to find the speed of an
object by sending out microwaves
and measuring the time it takes
them to return.
Infrared (IRR)
 are in the lower-middle
range of frequencies in the
EM spectrum, between
microwaves and visible light.
The size of infrared waves
ranges from a few
millimeters down to
microscopic lengths. shorter-
wavelength infrared rays are
used in remote controls and
imaging technologies.
Infrared Rays
 -blue rays are night vision
equipment

Thermogram – a
picture that shows of
detection
temperature of the
body. It is calculated
by the amount of IRR
given off.
Visible Light – shorter wavelength higher frequency than
IRR.
 Longest wavelength = Red lights
 Shortest wavelength = Violet (purple light)
When light enters a
new medium it will
bend (refracts). Each
wavelength bends a
different amount
allowing white light to
separate into it’s
various colors.
ROYGBIV.
UV Rays – shorter wavelength higher
frequency than visible light.
 Carry more energy than visible light.
 have even shorter wavelengths than
visible light. UV waves are the cause
of sunburn and can cause cancer in
living organisms. High-temperature
processes emit UV rays; these can
be detected throughout the universe
Detecting UV waves assists
astronomers, for example, in
learning about the structure of
galaxies.
UV Waves – too
much exposure
can cause skin
cancer. Use
sunblock can help
protect against UV
rays.
 X-Ray
 Shorter wavelength higher
frequency.
 Carry a great amount of energy
 Can penetrate most matters
 are extremely high-energy
waves with wavelengths
between 0.03 and 3 nanometers
 X-rays are emitted by sources
producing very high
temperatures
Bones and Teeth absorbs
x-ray. (the light part
x-ray image indicates a
place where an x-ray is
absorbed.)
- Too much exposure to
x-ray can cause cancer
so it is important to use
lead vest
 Gamma Rays
 Shortest wavelength highest frequency.
Carry the greatest amount of energy and
penetrate the most.
 are the highest-frequency EM waves, and are
emitted by the most energetic cosmic objects
such pulsars, neutron stars, supernova and
black holes. Terrestrial sources include
lightning, nuclear explosions and radioactive
decay. Gamma wave wavelengths are
measured on the subatomic level and can
actually pass through the empty space within
an atom. Gamma rays can destroy living cells;
fortunately, the Earth's atmosphere absorbs
any gamma rays that reach the planet.
 
Used in radiation treatment to
kill cancer cells.
Can be very harmful
Exploding nuclear power plant
emits gamma rays.