Farah Labita 10A
Electromagnetic waves are waves or periodic disturbances that do not need a medium to travel, unlike mechanical waves that do require a medium (solid, liquid or gas). Electromagnetic waves travel through vacuum and are caused by changes in electric and magnetic fields.
Accelerating a charge creates electromagnetic waves and it travels at different waves and spans in a very broad spectrum. This wide spectrum of wavelengths and photon energy is called the electromagnetic spectrum. There are 7 different types of waves in an electromagnetic spectrum; radio waves, microwaves, infrared waves, visible light, ultraviolet waves, x-rays and gamma rays. Each of these categories contains different type of waves, which varies in wavelength and photon energy, which is the units in which electromagnetic radiation come in.
Figure 1. An Electromagnetic Spectrum shows the different wavelengths and photon energies of different electromagnetic waves.
Source: http://www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/ALSTool/EMSpec/EMSpec2.html
Figure 1. An Electromagnetic Spectrum shows the different wavelengths and photon energies of different electromagnetic waves.
Source: http://www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/ALSTool/EMSpec/EMSpec2.html
There are many uses of the electromagnetic waves. Radio waves, which have the shortest wavelength, are most commonly used for radio communications. Microwave have a high frequency and is made by various transmitters is used for microwave ovens. Infrared waves can’t be seen but the body detects infrared as heat. Visible light is the electromagnetic radiation that produces our visual sensations. Ultraviolet waves are invisible rays that are emitted by the sun by electric arcs. Gamma rays have a shorter wavelength than the last category electromagnetic waves, x-rays, which are used in medical purpose for x-rays.
Electromagnetic radiation could also be used for medical purposes, not only the
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