Gamma Ultraviolet
Name X rays Visible rays Infrared radiations Microwaves Radio waves
rays rays
Wavelength 0.1 Å 0.1 Å to 100 Å 100 Å to 4000 Å 4000 Å to 8000 Å 8000 Å to 107 Å 107 Å to 1010 Å Above 1010 Å
Source - Radioactive - The electric arc and -The sun -All red hot bodies - crystal oscillators.
emissions. sparks. - electric bulb, - heated iron ball, flame, fire, etc.
- cosmic radiation. - Mercury vapour lamp - flame - Sun is the natural source of infrared
gives UV rays along with - white hot body. radiation.
visible light.
- Sun is also a source of
ultraviolet radiation.
Properties -Cause fluorescence - Chemically more - Can pass through - Travel in a straight line with the
when they strike the active than quarts, but they are speed of 3 x 108 m/s in air or vacuum.
fluorescent ultraviolet absorbed by glass. - Obey the laws of reflection and
materials just zinc radiations. - Travel in a straight line refraction.
sulphide. - Strongly affected with the speed of 3 x 108 - They do not affect the ordinary
- They can easily photographic plate. m/s in air or vacuum. photographic film. However, a
penetrate through - Cause - Usually scattered by specially treated photographic film is
thick metal sheet. fluorescence in dust particles present in affected by them.
- Pass through certain materials the Earth's atmosphere. - They are absorbed by glass, but they
human body easily such as zinc - They obey the laws of pass through rock salt.
and cause immense sulphide. reflection and refraction. - They are detected by their heating
biological damage. - Can penetrate - Strongly affected property using a blackened bulb
through human photographic plate as thermometer or thermopile.
flesh but are they are chemically -Scattered less by the earth's
stopped by the more active than visible atmosphere because of their long
bones. light. wavelength Hence there able to
- Produce fluorescence penetrate deep inside the atmosphere
on striking a zinc even in fog.
sulphide screen. - Greenhouse gases, just CO2 present
in the earth’s atmosphere absorbs the
low energy infrared radiations and
keep the earth surface warm.
Uses - Medical science to - Detection of - For sterilising air, - Used in - used for therapeutic purposes by - Used for satellite These waves are used
kill cancer cells fracture in bones, surgical equipments, photography, in doctors. communication mainly in radar
- industry to check teeth i.e etc. photosynthesis and to - Used in photography at night and - analysis of atomic communication and also
welding. radiography. - Detecting the purity of see objects around also in mist and fog because they are and molecular in radio and television
-Diagnostic gems, eggs, ghee EC. us. not much scattered so they can structure transmission.
purposes such as CT - Introducing vitamin D penetrate appreciably through it. - for cooking in
scan in medical in food of plants and - Infrared lamps are also used in dark microwave ovens
science. animals. rooms for developing photographs as - radar
- Studying atomic they provide some visibility without communication.
arrangement in affecting the photographic film.
crystals as well as in - They are used as signals during war
complex molecules. as they are not visible and they are
- in detective not absorbed much in the medium.
agencies to detect - They are used in remote control of
concealed precious television and other gadgets.
metals.