Electromagnetic

Spectrum
 Electromagnetic Wave Timeline
• 1770-90 Cavendish and Coulomb establish
foundations of electrostatics
• 1820 Hans Christian Oersted makes connection
between flowing charge and magnetism
• 1820s Andre Marie Ampere identifies currents as
the source of all magnetism (even permanent
magnets)
• 1831 Michael Faraday discovers that time varying
magnetic fields serve as sources for electric fields
• 1864 James Clerk Maxwell puts it all together
• 1887 Heinrich Hertz demonstrates existence of
electromagnetic radiation
 Mechanical Waves vs Non-Mechanical Waves

Mechanical Wave Non-Mechanical Wave

Mechanical waves are Non-mechanical waves are

waves that need a medium waves that do not need any
for propagation. medium for propagation.
Sound waves, water waves The electromagnetic wave
and seismic waves are is the only non-mechanical
some examples of wave.
mechanical waves.
Mechanical waves cannot Non-mechanical waves can
travel through vacuum travel through vacuum
 PARTS OF A WAVE
• Wave: The repeating and periodic disturbance that travels
through a medium from one location to another location.
• Crest: The highest part of a wave.
• Trough: The lowest part of a wave.
• Height: The vertical distance between the wave trough and the
wave crest.
• Wavelength: The distance between two consecutive wave crests
or between two consecutive wave troughs.
• Frequency: It refers to the number of waves produced in one
second.
• Period: The time it takes for two successive crests (one
wavelength) to pass a specified point. The wave period is often
referenced in seconds, e.g. one wave every 6 seconds.
• Amplitude of a wave refers to the maximum amount of
displacement of a particle on the medium from its rest position.
• Range refers to the extent or the limits between which variation
is possible.
 Electromagnetic wave
(EM wave)
•or electromagnetic radiation is a
wave that is created as a result of
vibrations between an electric
field and magnetic field.
•EM waves can travel through
anything even on vacuum
•They travel in a vacuum at a
speed of 3x108 m/s.
▪ Frequency refers to the
number of waves a
vibration creates during a
period of time. In general,
the higher the frequency,
or number of waves, the
greater the energy of the
radiation.
 f= 1/T
T= time; seconds

V= λf
V= speed of light; m/s
λ= wavelength; meters
F= frequency; Hertz (Hz)
Sample Problem:
1.What is the frequency of
radio waves with
wavelength of 20 meters?
2.What is the frequency of a
wave where one cycle is
completed in 0.5 sec.
Problem:
1.Find the frequency of light
wave when then wavelength
of the light is 600 nm.
2.Determine the frequency of
the pendulum that takes 4
seconds to complete one
cycle.
SOLVE:
• Calculate the frequency of the light with a
wavelength of 756 nm.
• An FM station broadcasts music at a radio
wave with a frequency of 115 Hz. Calculate
the wavelength of these radio waves.
• The blue light used in dental curing has a
frequency of about 7.2 x 1014 Hz. What is the
wavelength, in nm, associated with this
radiation?
• A photon has a wavelength of 587 nm.
Calculate the frequency.
 Things to Remember
The higher the frequency, the more energy the
wave has.
EM waves do not require medium in which to
travel or move.
EM waves are considered to be transverse
waves because they are made of vibrating
electric and magnetic fields at right angles to
each other, and to the direction the waves are
traveling.
Inverse relationship between wave size and
frequency: as wavelengths get smaller,
frequencies get higher.
 The Electromagnetic Spectrum
The EM spectrum is the ENTIRE range of EM waves
in order of increasing frequency and decreasing
wavelength.
Each electromagnetic wave emits a different level of
energy. These energies travel silently at the speed of
light and produce a “signature” wave – with a unique
range of length, energy, and frequency – that
scientists can identify and measure.
The EM Waves
 Radio waves: Have the longest wavelengths
and the lowest frequencies

❑Radio/Television signals
Radio and television signals
are radio waves that are
produced by making
electrons vibrate. It has a
long wavelength capable to
transmit sound and picture
information over long
distances.
A radio picks up radio waves through an
antenna and converts it to sound waves.
✓ AM (or Amplitude Modulation)\
✓ FM (or Frequency Modulation)
▪ Global Positioning Systems (GPS) measure the
time it takes a radio wave to travel from several
satellites to the receiver, determining the
distance to each satellite.
 MRI
(MAGNETIC RESONACE IMAGING)
Uses Short wave radio waves with a
magnet to create an image
MICROWAVES
Microwave radiation
is commonly referred
to as microwaves.
They fall between
infrared radiation and
radio waves in the
electromagnetic
spectrum.
Microwaves can pass
through glass and
plastic.
Properties of microwaves are as
follows:
✓Metal surfaces reflect microwaves.
Microwaves with a certain
wavelength pass through the earth’s
atmosphere and can be useful in
transmitting information to and from
satellites in orbit. Hence, the satellite
dishes are made of metal as they
reflect microwaves well.
✓Microwaves of certain frequencies
are absorbed by water. This
property of microwaves is useful n
cooking. Water in the food absorbs
microwaves, which causes the
water to heat up, therefore cooking
the food.
✓Microwave transmission is affected
by wave effects such as refraction,
reflection, interference, and
diffraction.
RADAR (Radio
Detection and
Ranging)
is a detection
system used to
determine the
range, angle or
velocity of objects.
It can be used to
detect aircraft,
ships, and the like
 INFRARED
Infrared waves (heat): Infrared=
below red
✓ Have a shorter wavelength,
therefore, a higher frequency.
Used for finding people in the
dark and in TV remote control
devices
✓ Infrared radiation is a type of
electromagnetic radiation that
involves heat, or thermal
radiation.
✓ All objects emit (give out) and
absorb (take in) thermal radiation.
 Thermogram—a picture that shows regions of
different temperatures in the body. Temperatures
are calculated by the amount of infrared
radiation given off.
Visible light: Wavelengths range from 700 nm (red
light) to 30 nm (violet light) with frequencies higher than
infrared waves.
These are the waves in the EM spectrum that humans
can see.
Visible light waves are a very small part of the EM
spectrum!
Shorter wavelength and higher frequency
than infrared rays.
Electromagnetic waves we can see.
Longest wavelength= red light
Shortest wavelength= violet (purple) light
 Visible Light
Remembering the Order

ROYGBV
red
orange
yellow
green
blue
violet
Ultraviolet Light: Wavelengths the frequency (and
therefore the energy) is high enough with UV
rays to penetrate living cells and cause them
damage.
Although we cannot see UV light, bees, bats,
butterflies, some small rodents and birds can.
UV on our skin produces vitamin D in our bodies.
Too much UV can lead to sunburn and skin cancer.
UV rays are easily blocked by clothing.
Used for sterilization because they kill bacteria.
Causes your
skin to
produce
vitamin D
(good for
teeth and
bones)
• Security markings
Sensitive documents such as credit
cards, banknotes, and passports
include a UV watermark that is only
seen under UV emitting light.
• Sterilization of water in drinking
fountains
Ultraviolet light disinfection is one
water treatment system that can be
used to remove most forms of
microbiological contamination from
water.
• Fluorescence
Some washing powder contains
fluorescent chemicals which glow in
sunlight. This makes your shirt look
whiter than white in daylight.
X-Rays: Wavelengths from 10 nm to .001 nm.
These rays have enough energy to penetrate
deep into tissues and cause damage to cells;
are stopped by dense materials, such as bone.

Used to look at solid structures, such as bones and bridges

(for cracks), and for treatment of cancer.
Bones and teeth absorb x-rays. (The light part of
an x-ray image indicates a place where the x-
ray was absorbed)
 Long wavelength X-rays
can penetrate the flesh
but not the bones that’s
why it is used in
diagnosing bone
fractures.

The short wavelength X-

rays can penetrate
through metals which
can be used in airport
security scanner.
Gamma Rays: Carry the most energy and have
the shortest wavelengths.
Gamma rays have enough energy to go
through most materials easily; you would
need a 3-4 ft thick concrete wall to stop them.
Gamma rays are
released by nuclear
reactions in nuclear
power plants, by
nuclear bombs, and
by naturally
occurring elements
on Earth.
Used in radiation treatment to kill
cancer cells.
Can be very harmful if not used
correctly.
 Brief SUMMARY
A. All electromagnetic waves travel at the
same speed. (300,000,000 meters/second) in
a vacuum.
B. They all have different wavelengths and
different frequencies.
Long wavelength-→lowest frequency
Short wavelength→ highest frequency
The higher the frequency the higher the
energy.