EM waves

• Electromagnetic waves

  Transverse waves that transfer energy from the source of the waves to an absorber
• Examples of electromagnetic waves

  • Microwaves
  • Solar light
• What happens when white light passes through a prism

  1. White light splits into a spectrum

  2. Each color has a different wavelength and frequency
• Red end of the spectrum

  Waves have lower frequency and longer wavelength
• Violet end of the spectrum

  Waves have higher frequency and shorter wavelength
• Parts of the electromagnetic spectrum

  • Radio waves
  • Microwaves
  • Infrared
  • Visible light
  • Ultraviolet
  • X-rays
  • Gamma rays
• Visible light is the only part of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be detected by the human eye
• Frequency increases from radio waves to gamma rays
• Wavelength decreases from radio waves to gamma rays
• Electromagnetic spectrum is a continuous spectrum
• Electromagnetic waves do not need a medium to travel in
• All electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed in a vacuum (3x10^8 m/s)
• Different materials

  • Absorb
  • Transmit
  • Reflect electromagnetic waves
• What happens depends on the wavelength