2. The Electromagnetic Spectrum
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
The EM spectrum is the ENTIRE range of EM waves in
The EM spectrum is the ENTIRE range of EM waves in
order of increasing frequency and decreasing wavelength.
order of increasing frequency and decreasing wavelength.
As you go from
As you go from left
left
right
right, the
, the wavelengths get smaller
wavelengths get smaller and the
and the
frequencies get higher
frequencies get higher. This is an
. This is an inverse
inverse relationship
relationship between wave
between wave
size and frequency.
size and frequency. (As one goes up, the other goes down.)
(As one goes up, the other goes down.) This is because the
This is because the
speed of ALL EM waves is the speed of light (300,000 km/s).
speed of ALL EM waves is the speed of light (300,000 km/s).
3. Things to Remember
Things to Remember
The higher the frequency, the more energy the
The higher the frequency, the more energy the
wave has.
wave has.
EM waves
EM waves do not require media
do not require media in which to travel
in which to travel
or move.
or move.
EM waves are considered to be
EM waves are considered to be transverse waves
transverse waves
because they are made of vibrating electric and
because they are made of vibrating electric and
magnetic fields at right angles to each other, and to
magnetic fields at right angles to each other, and to
the direction the waves are traveling.
the direction the waves are traveling.
Inverse relationship between wave size and
frequency: as wavelengths get smaller, frequencies
get higher.
4. Radio waves
Radio waves: Have the longest wavelengths and
: Have the longest wavelengths and
the lowest frequencies; wavelengths range
the lowest frequencies; wavelengths range
from 1000s of meters to .001 m
from 1000s of meters to .001 m
Used in: RADAR, cooking food, satellite
Used in: RADAR, cooking food, satellite
transmissions
transmissions
The Waves (in order…)
The Waves (in order…)
5. Infrared waves
Infrared waves (heat): Have a shorter wavelength,
(heat): Have a shorter wavelength,
from .001 m to 700 nm, and therefore, a higher
from .001 m to 700 nm, and therefore, a higher
frequency.
frequency.
Used for finding people in the dark and in TV
Used for finding people in the dark and in TV
remote control devices
remote control devices
Visible light
Visible light: Wavelengths range from 700 nm (red
: Wavelengths range from 700 nm (red
light) to 30 nm (violet light) with frequencies
light) to 30 nm (violet light) with frequencies
higher than infrared waves.
higher than infrared waves.
These are the waves in the
These are the waves in the
EM spectrum that humans
EM spectrum that humans
can see.
can see.
Visible light waves are a very
Visible light waves are a very
small part of the EM spectrum!
small part of the EM spectrum!
6. ROY G. BV
ROY G. BV
red
red
orange
orange
yellow
yellow
green
green
blue
blue
violet
violet
Visible Light
Visible Light
Remembering the Order
Remembering the Order
7. Ultraviolet Light
Ultraviolet Light: Wavelengths
: Wavelengths range from 400 nm to
10 nm; 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.
8. X-Rays
X-Rays: Wavelengths from 10 nm to .001 nm.
: Wavelengths from 10 nm to .001 nm.
These rays have enough energy to penetrate
These rays have enough energy to penetrate
deep into tissues and cause damage to cells;
deep into tissues and cause damage to cells;
are stopped by dense materials, such as bone.
are stopped by dense materials, such as bone.
Used to look at solid structures, such as bones and
Used to look at solid structures, such as bones and
bridges (for cracks), and for treatment of cancer.
bridges (for cracks), and for treatment of cancer.
9. Gamma Rays
Gamma Rays: Carry the most energy and have
: Carry the most energy and have
the shortest wavelengths, less than one
the shortest wavelengths, less than one
trillionth of a meter (10
trillionth of a meter (10-12
-12
).
).
Gamma rays have enough energy to go through
Gamma rays have enough energy to go through
most materials easily; you would need a 3-4 ft thick
most materials easily; you would need a 3-4 ft thick
concrete wall to stop them!
concrete wall to stop them!
Gamma rays are released
Gamma rays are released
by nuclear reactions in
by nuclear reactions in
nuclear power plants, by
nuclear power plants, by
nuclear bombs, and by
nuclear bombs, and by
naturally occurring
naturally occurring
elements on Earth.
elements on Earth.
Sometimes used in the
Sometimes used in the
treatment of cancers.
treatment of cancers.
10. Gamma Rays
Gamma Rays
This picture is a
This picture is a
“scintigram”
“scintigram”
It shows an asthmatic
It shows an asthmatic
person’s lungs.
person’s lungs.
The patient was given a slightly radioactive gas to
The patient was given a slightly radioactive gas to
breath, and the picture was taken using a gamma
breath, and the picture was taken using a gamma
camera to detect the radiation.
camera to detect the radiation.
The colors show the air flow in the lungs.
The colors show the air flow in the lungs.
11. Micro Worlds, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
http://www.lbl.gov/MicroWorlds/ALSTool/EMSpec/EMSpec2.html
Image Sources
Image Sources
NASA http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/blue-sky/
NASA
http://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/EDDOCS/Wavelengths_for_
Colors.html
NASA http://missionscience.nasa.gov/ems/11_xrays.html
Andy Darvill, Broadoak Community School, Radioactivity Uses
http://www.northallertoncoll.org.uk/science/Additional%20Physics/
Nuclear/Nuclear/Radioactivity/uses.htm
2004 Microsoft Corporation, One
Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA
98052-6399 USA.
Editor's Notes
#1:Presentation for lesson 4: Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum, in the Waves: The Three Color Mystery unit
The slides are animated so you can click (space bar, mouse, etc.) to show the next item when the class is ready.
#3:Play an interactive tutorial to explore the classical representation of an electromagnetic wave as a sine function; you can vary amplitude and wavelength to demonstrate how this function appears in three dimensions. (requires java plug-in) See: http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/electromagnetic/index.html
#6:Light from the sun looks white, but it is really made up of all the colors of the rainbow. A prism is a specially shaped crystal. When white light shines through a prism, the light is separated into all its colors.