Communicating with Radio Waves

and Microwaves

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What are radio waves?
The broadcast of every radio and television
programme involves the use of radio waves.
Radio waves are the type of electromagnetic
waves with the longest wavelengths.
micro- ultra-
radio waves waves infrared violet

1000 m 1m 1 mm 0.001 mm
wavelength of electromagnetic waves
Radio waves have a wavelength greater than 30 cm (the
length of a standard ruler).
Radio waves have many uses. How many can you think of?

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How are radio waves produced?
Radio waves are produced
by passing an oscillating
electric current through a
long wire called an aerial.

The frequency of the radio

wave produced is the same
as the frequency of the
oscillating current.

This allows radio waves of different wavelengths to

be produced.

Radio waves of different wavelengths have slightly

different properties and are used for different purposes.

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Carrier waves

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Can radio waves travel through walls?
Radio waves are not absorbed strongly by walls, which is
why radio (and television) signals can be received indoors.

Tall objects, like buildings and hills, can prevent radio

waves travelling directly from a transmitter, but this is not
always a problem.

In some areas, the

reflection of waves
off other buildings or
hills can actually
lead to improved
radio reception.

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Using radio waves in communications
Different types of radio waves are used to transmit signals for
radio, TV, mobile phones, Wi-Fi and satellite communications.
In a transmitter, sound In a receiver, radio waves
waves are turned into are picked up by another
oscillating current, which aerial, turned back into
is then turned into radio oscillating current, and then
waves in an aerial. back into sound waves.

aerial
radio
waves
transmitter receiver

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Why do some radio waves travel so far?
Low frequency (up to 3 MHz) radio
waves travel along the Earth’s
surface and can travel hundreds of
miles. These ground waves are
used for local and national radio.

ionosphere

Higher frequency radio waves

(3–30 MHz) are reflected off the
ionosphere high in the atmosphere.
This effect is similar to TIR for light.
These sky waves are used for
international and amateur radio.

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What’s the frequency?

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What is a wireless network?
A wireless network allows computers,
mobile phones and other devices to
access the internet and communicate
with each other without wires.

Wireless technology, sometimes

called Wi-Fi, uses high-frequency
radio waves (around 2.4 GHz) to
transmit data.

A Wi-Fi device can connect to the internet via an access

point. The region covered by an access point is a ‘hotspot’.

Although Wi-Fi is convenient, it can be less secure than a

wired network and has a limited range, usually around 100 m.

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Why is my laptop wireless enabled?

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What are microwaves?
Every mobile phone conversation involves the
transmission of microwave signals.
Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation.
They are very short-wavelength radio waves.
micro- ultra-
radio waves waves infrared violet

1000 m 1m 1 mm 0.001 mm
wavelength of electromagnetic waves
The wavelength of microwaves ranges from 30 cm (the length
of a standard ruler) to 1 mm (about the size of a full stop).
Microwaves have many uses. How many can you think of?

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How are microwaves produced?
Microwaves with different wavelengths have slightly different
properties and uses. They are also produced in different ways.

Long-wavelength microwaves are

produced by aerials in a similar way to
other radio waves. These types of
microwaves are used for communications.

Short-wavelength microwaves
are produced using a device
called a magnetron. These
types of microwaves are used
by microwave ovens and radar
equipment.

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The size of antennas
Antennas are different sizes for a very good reason!

Radio waves have a large wavelength –

usually measured in metres. Thus, radio
antennas tend to be large.

Mobile phones use microwaves which have a

small wavelength, measured in centimetres.
The antenna is small inside a phone.

For maximum efficiency, the size of the antenna should

be the same size as the wavelength of the carrier wave.

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How does my mobile phone work?
Mobile phone networks divide areas into
smaller areas called ‘cells’. There is a
base station at the centre of each cell.
incoming
A mobile phone is a two-way radio that signal
uses microwaves to communicate with
the nearest base station.
Different frequencies are used outgoing
for the incoming and outgoing signal
signals. This allows you to listen
and talk at the same time.
When you move from one cell to another, the network detects
a weakening signal and hands over to another base station,
which is detecting a stronger signal from your phone.

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What affects my mobile phone reception?
Mobile phone reception is
affected by a number of factors.
Microwaves lose intensity as they
travel, so the distance between
the phone mast and the mobile
phone is important.
Another factor is tall buildings,
which can create pockets with no
reception.
To overcome this, mobile phone
companies use lots of low power
transmitters to fill in the gaps
caused by buildings.

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Microwaves and satellite communications
Microwaves are very high frequency radio waves
(over 30 MHz).

Unlike other radio waves,

they are not reflected by the
ionosphere but are refracted ionosphere
a little, then pass into space.

This means they can be picked

up by satellites, amplified, then
transmitted back to Earth. The
signal could be retransmitted
to another country, thousands
of miles from the original
transmission.

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Using mobile phones

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How do microwaves affect living tissue?

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Why limit the use of mobile phones?
Some people are concerned about mobile
phone use because the handsets emit
microwaves close to the body.
The government recommends that users take
reasonable steps to limit their exposure to the
microwaves by following the ALARA principle.
This involves the following precautions:
As
 Using a hands free kit or shield.
Low
As  Using a phone that emits less radiation.
Reasonably  Not spending a long time talking on
Achievable a mobile.
 Under 16s only using mobiles
when essential.
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Is hands free going to make a difference?
Rachel wanted to investigate the advice that placing the
aerial of a mobile phone further from the head would reduce
the amount of radiation being absorbed by the brain.
This apparatus was available for her microwave investigation.

What is the independent variable?

The distance between the
transmitter and the receiver.
What is the dependent variable?
microwave microwave The intensity of microwave
transmitter receiver radiation detected at the receiver.
To collect valid results, Rachel chose a range of distances
(10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 cm) that a mobile phone may be
from the head when it is used with or without a hands-free kit.

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Investigating microwave intensity

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Could hands-free make a difference?
The results of the microwave
experiment can be plotted to
see if there is a relationship x

intensity / A
between intensity of the
radiation and distance from
the source.
The results show that as the x
distance increases the x x x x
intensity of the microwave
radiation decreases. distance / cm
How does this relate to safer use of a mobile phone?
The results suggest that moving the mobile phone
away from the head, even a few centimetres, could
reduce the intensity of radiation reaching the head.
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Investigating mobile phones
Mobile phones transmit signals from their antenna to the
nearest base station using microwaves.

How much radiation do you think is emitted during the

following activities on a mobile phone: texting,
receiving phone calls, talking during phone call?

Based on the previous experiment, how

would the distance the phone is held
from the head affect the amount of
radiation that is received by the user?

What are some ways to reduce the radiation received from

mobile phones?

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Opinions on mobile phones

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Can mobile phone masts harm us?
There are concerns that the microwave radiation emitted by
mobile phone masts may present a threat to health.
One reason for this concern is
that a mobile phone mast
continually emits microwave
radiation. A mobile phone only
emits radiation when in use.
Mobile phone masts are also
higher power than phones.
However, people are less likely to be right beside a mobile
phone mast and microwave intensity is reduced with distance.
You will probably receive a higher dose of microwaves from
your phone than from a mast.

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Reporting about mobile phone risks

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Glossary

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Multiple-choice quiz

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