Waves. Examples –Water waves –Sound waves –Light waves –Radio waves –microwaves.
The Electromagnetic (EM) Spectrumevergreen.loyola.edu/iheyer/www/WritingSamples/...Radio Waves:...
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The Electromagnetic (EM) Spectrum Wavelength (Meters): Radio Waves: Radio waves have the longest wavelength in the EM spectrum. As implied, radio waves bring music to ra- dios, but they also provide signals to cell phones, tele- visions, etc. Radio waves are received at an estimate of 100 MegaHertz or 100 million cycles per second by FM radios. In 1932, radio waves were discovered to be given off by astronomical objects. Since then, astronomers have been developing sophiscated sys- tems to make visual images using the radio waves Microwaves: Since microwaves can penetrate haze, light rain, snow, clouds and smoke, these waves are ideal for viewing the Earth from space. The wavelength of micro waves in a mi- crowave oven is about 11 centimeters (4.3 inches). Infrared: Infrared light has a range of wavelengths like visible light. “Near infrared” light is closest in wavelength to visible light and “far infrared” is closer to the microwave re- gion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The longer, far infrared wavelengths are about the size of a pin head and the shorter, near infrared ones are the size of cells, or are mi- croscopic. Far infrared waves are thermal (in the form of heat), while shorter infrared waves aren’t thermal, in fact, they can’t be felt. Regardless, many things, including humans, emit infrared light. Visible: Visible light waves are the only waves in spec- trum that humans can see. These waves are seen in a range of colors with red having the longest wavelength and violet (purple) having the shortest wavelength. When all the waves are seen together, white light is created. Water vapor in the atmosphere breaks apart the wave- lengths, which is why rainbows can be seen in the sky. The wavelength of visible light is a lit- tle bit less than a millionth of a metre. Ultraviolet: Ultraviolet light is invisible to the human eyes, but some insects, like bumblebees, have proven to be able to see ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet part of the spectrum is divided into three regions: the near ultraviolet, the far ul- traviolet, and the extreme ultraviolet. The three regions are distinguished by how ener- getic the ultraviolet radiation is, and by the “wavelength” of the ultraviolet light, which is related to energy. Star, galaxies, and even the Earth can be studied by the ultraviolet light that is given off. The wavelength of ultravio- let light is less than 375 nanometres. X-Rays: As the wavelengths of the spectrum de- crease, the energy increases, such as how x-rays tend to act more like a particle than a wave. Many things in space emit X- rays, among them are black holes, neutron stars, binary star systems, supernova rem- nants, stars, the Sun, and even some com- ets! Bones and teeth are dense and absorb more X-rays than your skin does due to containing a large amount of calcium. As such, silhouettes of your bones or teeth are left on the X-ray film while your skin ap- pears transparent. Gamma Rays: Gamma rays have the smallest wavelength, but have the most energy out of all of the other waves in the spectrum. These waves are gener- ated by radioactive atoms and in nuclear explo- sions. Gamma-rays can kill living cells, a fact which medicine uses to its advantage, using gamma-rays to kill cancerous cells. Unlike opti- cal light and x-rays Gamma rays cannot be cap- tured and reflected in mirrors. 10 3 10 -2 10 -5 10 -6 10 -8 10 -10 10 -12 Possible Sources of these Wavelengths: 10 5 10 6 10 7 10 8 10 9 10 10 10 11 10 12 10 14 10 15 10 16 10 17 10 18 10 19 The Fine Print: Background copyrighted by SoundwavexJazzClub located at Deviantart. Other pictures created by Quinn Hamamoto. Hawaiian Comparisons to the Sizes of Wavelengths: 10 13 Lower Longer Find out more at: http://outreach.jach.hawaii.edu For a hardcopy of this poster please con- tact [email protected] Poster created by: Quinn Hamamoto Waiakea High School Hilo, Hawaii Grade 12 Summer ‘10 Huiana Intern Aloha Tower Aloha Stadium Hale (Hawaiian House) Kamehameha Butterfly Point of a Needle Plant Cell Bacteria Protein Water Molecule Atom Aircraft and Shipping Radios AM Radio FM Radio and TV Cell Phones Microwave Ovens Radar Humans Lightbulb UV Rays X-Rays Radioactive Elements Higher Shorter
Transcript of The Electromagnetic (EM) Spectrumevergreen.loyola.edu/iheyer/www/WritingSamples/...Radio Waves:...
The Electromagnetic (EM) Spectrum
Wavelength (Meters):
Radio Waves:Radio waves have the longest wavelength in the EM spectrum. As implied, radio waves bring music to ra-dios, but they also provide signals to cell phones, tele-visions, etc. Radio waves are received at an estimate of 100 MegaHertz or 100 million cycles per second by FM radios. In 1932, radio waves were discovered to be given off by astronomical objects. Since then, astronomers have been developing sophiscated sys-tems to make visual images using the radio waves
Microwaves:Since microwaves can penetrate haze, light rain, snow, clouds and smoke, these waves are ideal for viewing the Earth from space. The wavelength of micro waves in a mi-crowave oven is about 11 centimeters (4.3 inches).
Infrared:Infrared light has a range of wavelengths like visible light. “Near infrared” light is closest in wavelength to visible light and “far infrared” is closer to the microwave re-gion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The longer, far infrared wavelengths are about the size of a pin head and the shorter, near infrared ones are the size of cells, or are mi-croscopic. Far infrared waves are thermal (in the form of heat), while shorter infrared waves aren’t thermal, in fact, they can’t be felt. Regardless, many things, including humans, emit infrared light.
Visible:Visible light waves are the only waves in spec-trum that humans can see. These waves are seen in a range of colors with red having the longest wavelength and violet (purple) having the shortest wavelength. When all the waves are seen together, white light is created. Water vapor in the atmosphere breaks apart the wave-lengths, which is why rainbows can be seen in the sky. The wavelength of visible light is a lit-tle bit less than a millionth of a metre.
Ultraviolet:Ultraviolet light is invisible to the human eyes, but some insects, like bumblebees, have proven to be able to see ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet part of the spectrum is divided into three regions: the near ultraviolet, the far ul-traviolet, and the extreme ultraviolet. The three regions are distinguished by how ener-getic the ultraviolet radiation is, and by the “wavelength” of the ultraviolet light, which is related to energy. Star, galaxies, and even the Earth can be studied by the ultraviolet light that is given off. The wavelength of ultravio-let light is less than 375 nanometres.
X-Rays:As the wavelengths of the spectrum de-crease, the energy increases, such as how x-rays tend to act more like a particle than a wave. Many things in space emit X-rays, among them are black holes, neutron stars, binary star systems, supernova rem-nants, stars, the Sun, and even some com-ets! Bones and teeth are dense and absorb more X-rays than your skin does due to containing a large amount of calcium. As such, silhouettes of your bones or teeth are left on the X-ray film while your skin ap-pears transparent.
Gamma Rays:Gamma rays have the smallest wavelength, but have the most energy out of all of the other waves in the spectrum. These waves are gener-ated by radioactive atoms and in nuclear explo-sions. Gamma-rays can kill living cells, a fact which medicine uses to its advantage, using gamma-rays to kill cancerous cells. Unlike opti-cal light and x-rays Gamma rays cannot be cap-tured and reflected in mirrors.
103 10-2 10-5 10-6 10-8 10-10 10-12
Possible Sources of these Wavelengths:
105 106 107 108 109 1010 1011 1012 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019
The Fine Print:Background copyrighted by SoundwavexJazzClub located at Deviantart. Other pictures created by Quinn Hamamoto.
Hawaiian Comparisons to the Sizes of Wavelengths:
1013
Lower
Longer
Find out more at:http://outreach.jach.hawaii.edu
For a hardcopy of this poster please con-tact [email protected]
Poster created by:Quinn HamamotoWaiakea High SchoolHilo, HawaiiGrade 12Summer ‘10 Huiana Intern
Aloha Tower Aloha Stadium Hale (Hawaiian House)
Kamehameha Butterfly
Point of a Needle Plant Cell Bacteria Protein Water Molecule Atom
Aircraft and Shipping Radios
AM Radio FM Radio and TV Cell Phones Microwave Ovens Radar Humans Lightbulb UV Rays X-Rays RadioactiveElements
Higher
Shorter
