Properties of Electromagnetic

Waves
Shown in this image is the
X-ray and optical images
of the remnant of a
supernova called SNR-
E0519-69.0. It is located in
the Large Magellanic
Cloud.
Shown here is the Crab Nebula, another
remnant of a supernova explosion.
Images such as these two enable
scientists to understand more about the
galaxy and the universe in general.
Scientists use telescopes and other detectors to capture the
whole EM spectrum and create those previous images. What
do you think makes these electromagnetic waves so special?

In this lesson, learn more about electromagnetic waves and

its properties.
 FREQUENCY VS. PERIOD USING OSCILLATIONS

Determine the relationship

between frequency and period
using a simulation.
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• Electromagnetic waves are classified based on their

wavelengths.
• It is composed of the following:
• ultraviolet
• radio wave • X-ray
• microwave • gamma ray
• infrared
• visible light
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• The electromagnetic waves with the longest wavelength

and lowest frequency are the radio waves.
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• Microwaves have wavelengths approximately between

one m and one mm, and frequencies ranging from 3.0 ×
108 - 3.0 × 1011 Hz.
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• Infrared occupies wavelengths roughly between 1 mm

and 700 nm.
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• Visible light have wavelengths ranging from 700 nm to

400 nm.
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• Red has the longest wavelength and lowest frequency of

while violet has the shortest wavelength and highest
frequency.
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• Ultraviolets are those with wavelength usually from 400

nm to 10 nm.
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
• Ultraviolet is called as such because its frequency is
higher than violet light (ultra means going beyond).
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• X-rays are those with wavelength from 10 nm to 100 pm.

• Gamma rays are those with wavelength of less than 100
pm.
TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• X-rays and gamma rays can pass through several opaque

materials such as human body tissues.
FEATURES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• James Maxwell calculated the speed of

electromagnetic waves to be 3.0 × 108 m/s in an empty
space and is denoted it as the constant, c.
• Electromagnetic waves travel slower in denser materials.
• Thus, light is faster in air than in water and travels
fastest in a vacuum.
FEATURES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• Electromagnetic waves are

transverse waves made up
of electrical and magnetic
field components.

The electric and magnetic fields in a

electromagnetic wave.
WAVELENGTH, PERIOD, AND FREQUENCY OF AN
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE

• A wave’s period (T) refers to the time it takes for the wave
to finish one complete wavelength to pass through a
point.
• The frequency (f) of a wave is the number of complete
waves passing through a point in a unit of time.
WAVELENGTH, PERIOD, AND FREQUENCY OF AN
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE

The relationship between frequency and period is given by:

WAVELENGTH, PERIOD, AND FREQUENCY OF AN
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE
• Wavelength (λ) refers to the distance the wave covers per
cycle of propagation.
• It can be visualized as one ‘complete’ wave in a series of
identical waves.
WAVELENGTH, PERIOD, AND FREQUENCY OF AN
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE
• Speed is distance divided by time. Since wavelength is the
length of one complete wave, and period is the time for
one complete wavelength to pass through a point, the
speed of the wave is:
WAVELENGTH, PERIOD, AND FREQUENCY OF AN
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE

• Since frequency and period are reciprocals of each other:

WAVELENGTH, PERIOD, AND FREQUENCY OF AN
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE
• For light traveling in a vacuum or empty space, period or
frequency is readily obtained from a given wavelength
and vice versa since the speed is constant.
A LIGHT SOURCE PRODUCES YELLOW LIGHT
WHICH IS OSCILLATING AT 1.96 × 10-15 SECONDS
PER CYCLE. WHAT IS THE FREQUENCY OF THIS
LIGHT?
A LIGHT SOURCE PRODUCES YELLOW LIGHT
WHICH IS OSCILLATING AT 1.96 × 10-15 SECONDS
PER CYCLE. WHAT IS THE FREQUENCY OF THIS
LIGHT?

The frequency of the yellow light is

5.10 × 1014 Hz.
A PARTICULAR ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE
TRAVELING IN A VACUUM IS DETECTED TO HAVE A
FREQUENCY OF 3 × 1012 HZ. HOW MUCH TIME
WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE ONE CYCLE OF THIS
WAVE?
A PARTICULAR ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE
TRAVELING IN A VACUUM IS DETECTED TO HAVE A
FREQUENCY OF 3 × 1012 HZ. HOW MUCH TIME
WILL IT TAKE TO COMPLETE ONE CYCLE OF THIS
WAVE?

The time it takes for one cycle of this particular

electromagnetic wave to oscillate is 3.33 × 10-13 s.
A RADIO WAVE IN A VACUUM PROPAGATES AT A
FREQUENCY OF 30 KHZ. WHAT IS THE
WAVELENGTH OF THIS WAVE IN METERS?
A RADIO WAVE IN A VACUUM PROPAGATES AT A
FREQUENCY OF 30 KHZ. WHAT IS THE
WAVELENGTH OF THIS WAVE IN METERS?

The wavelength of the radio wave is 10 000 m.

● The electric field and magnetic field of an electromagnetic wave are
perpendicular to each other.

● Electromagnetic waves are classified based on their wavelengths and

frequencies. Radio wave, microwave, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-
ray, and gamma ray are the different types of electromagnetic waves.

● Arranged in a spectrum, radio waves have the longest wavelength while

gamma rays have the shortest.
● The electromagnetic waves in the spectrum are also arranged in an
increasing frequency, that is, radio waves having the lowest frequency
while gamma rays having the highest.

● The frequency is inversely related to the period of a wave.

● The frequency of the wave is inversely proportional to the wavelength.

Hence, the wavelength and energy of a wave are also inversely
proportional.
FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE
TERM(S) TO COMPLETE THE STATEMENT.
1. The electrical field and magnetic field of an EM wave are
__________ to each other.
2. The period of a wave is simply the __________ of its wave
frequency.
3. A wave’s __________ is the time it takes for a wave to
complete one cycle or oscillation.