Electromagnetic waves

• What are electromagnetic waves?

  Transverse waves, they transfer energy from the source of the waves to an absorber.
• What happens when we shine light through a prism?

  It refracts into spectrum of colors. These are RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, INDIGO, VIOLET. Each colour of light has a different wavelength and frequency. The side of the spectrum closer to red have a lower frequency but a longer wavelength. The side of the spectrum closer to violet have a higher frequency but a shorter wavelength.
• Which is the only part of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be detected by the human eye?

  Visible Light
• What is the order of the electromagnetic spectrum?

  Radio

  Microwaves,

  Infra Red,

  Visible light,

  Ultra violet,

  X-ray,

  Gamma Rays.

  Waves closest to radio have a low frequency but a long wavelength.

  Waves closest to Gamma rays have a high frequency but a short wavelength.
• What do scientist say the electromagnetic spectrum is?

  A continuous spectrum, this means the cut off point between one type of wave and another is not always clear.
• What do electromagnetic waves NOT need?

  A medium to travel in, this means the waves can travel through a vacuum e.g. in space.
• What do all electromagnetic waves do as they travel through a vacuum?

  Travel at the same speed which is 300,000,000 m/s (3 X 10^8 m/s)
• What do different material cause electromagnetic waves to do?

  Be absorbed

  Be transmitted

  Be reflected

  What happens to the wave depends on the wavelength.