EM Waves

• What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

  Range of electromagnetic waves
• What type of waves are electromagnetic waves?

  Transverse waves
• How do electromagnetic waves oscillate?

  Perpendicular to energy transfer direction
• What is the speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum?

  $3 \times 10^8 \text{ m/s}$
• How do electromagnetic waves behave in different mediums?

  They travel at different speeds
• What is refraction in the context of electromagnetic waves?

  Change of direction when entering a medium
• What are the seven basic types of electromagnetic waves?

  • Radio waves
  • Microwaves
  • Infrared
  • Visible light
  • Ultraviolet
  • X-rays
  • Gamma rays
• What differentiates the types of electromagnetic waves?

  Wavelength and frequency
• How are wavelength and frequency related?

  Inversely related
• If the frequency increases, what happens to the wavelength?

  It decreases
• Which electromagnetic wave has the largest wavelength?

  Radio waves
• Which electromagnetic wave has the smallest wavelength?

  Gamma rays
• What is the wavelength range for radio waves?

  Multiple kilometers
• What is the wavelength range for gamma rays?

  Less than a thousandth of a nanometer
• What part of the electromagnetic spectrum can humans detect?

  Visible light
• What gives us the different colors we can see?

  Different wavelengths of visible light
• What comes after violet in the electromagnetic spectrum?

  Ultraviolet
• What comes before red in the electromagnetic spectrum?

  Infrared
• Which types of electromagnetic waves can be ionizing?

  Ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays
• What is the primary use of microwaves and radio waves?

  Communication
• Where do electromagnetic waves come from?

  Everywhere
• What can cause gamma rays to be emitted?

  Radioactive decay
• What can cause visible light, ultraviolet, and X-rays to be emitted?

  Electrons dropping down energy levels
• What generates infrared radiation?

  Molecular vibrations
• What happens to electromagnetic waves when they come into contact with something?

  They can be reflected, absorbed, or transmitted
• What might happen to electromagnetic waves when they interact with a surface?

  Combination of reflection, absorption, or transmission