The electromagnetic
spectrum
Electromagnetic
Gamma rays violet
waves
X-rays indigo
Properties and uses ultraviolet
of the different blue
regions of EM
spectrum Visible light green
infrared yellow
Practical application
of electromagnetic microwave orange
radiations
Radiowave,
red
TV
Effects of
electromagnetic
radiations to living
things and
environment
Where do EM waves come from?
What makes a wave electromagnetic?
Electromagnetic Waves
• Transverse waves without a medium!
• (They can travel through empty space)
• They travel as vibrations in
electrical and magnetic fields.
– Have some magnetic and some
electrical properties to them.
When an electric field changes, so does the
magnetic field. The changing magnetic field
causes the electric field to change. When one
field vibrates—so does the other.
RESULT-An electromagnetic wave.
Electromagnetic waves travel VERY
FAST – around 300,000
kilometres per second (the speed
of light).
At this speed they
can go around the
world 8 times in one
second.
Electromagnetic Spectrum—name for the
range of electromagnetic waves when
placed in order of increasing frequency
ULTRAVIOLET GAMMA
RADIO INFRARED
RAYS RAYS
WAVES RAYS
MICROWAVES VISIBLE LIGHT X-RAYS
Notice the wavelength is
long (Radio waves) and gets shorter (Gamma Rays)
RADIO WAVES
(Heinrich Hertz)
Have the longest
wavelengths and
lowest
frequencies of
all the
electromagnetic
waves.
A radio picks up radio waves through an
antenna and converts it to sound waves.
– Each radio station in an area broadcasts at a
different frequency.
• # on radio dial tells frequency.
RADIO COMMUNICATION
The work of Heinrich Hertz in 1887 proved
that electromagnetic waves can move
through space, with the theoretical basis
introduced by James Clerk Maxwell. The
discovery of such a wave led to many
possibilities and applications, especially in
communication.
RADIO FREQUENCY BANDS
The waves of frequency 550 kHz-1500kHz are
used in standard broadcasting.
Short waves (SW) of 3 MHz-30 MHz could be
sent through long distances and require much
less power than long waves. They are used in
international long distance communication,
police calls and in citizen’s band radios.
Very high frequency (VHF) waves of 30 MHz-
300 MHz are used for television and FM
transmissions.
HOW A RADIO PROGRAM IS
BROADCAST AND RECEIVED
A microphone converts sounds into electronic
signals at the radio station. The signals are
broadcasted through a transmitting antenna
as an electromagnetic wave. The signals are
received by the receiving antenna and are
changed back to sound in the radio speaker.
AMPLITUDE MODULATION
(AM)
The amplitude of the carrier wave is changed
to match that of the signal. It is used in
standard broadcasting because the program
can be sent over long distances although
static and other kinds of interference affect
the transmission.
FREQUENCY MODULATION
(FM)
The frequency of the carrier wave is changed
to match that of the signal. It provides
higher quality broadcasting because it is free
from interference and it includes stereo
sound.
WHY DO SHORT WAVE RADIO
TRANSMISSIONS NEED TO
HAVE COMMUNICATION
SATELLITES TO RELAY
SIGNALS ACROSS THE
WORLD?
The ionosphere, a layer of the atmosphere,
reflects radio waves back to earth. It is
composed of the Appleton layer, which
reflects HF waves (3-30 MHz), and the
Heaviside layer, which reflects MF waves
(300 kHz- 3 MHz).
The ionosphere cannot reflect waves with a
frequency beyond 30 MHz. Communication
satellites are used to reflect these higher
frequency waves back to earth.
RADAR (Radio
Detection and
Ranging)
• Used to find the
speed of an object
by sending out radio
waves and measuring
the time it takes
them to return.
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) measure the
time it takes a radio wave to travel from
several satellites to the receiver, determining
the distance to each satellite.
MRI
(MAGNETIC RESONACE IMAGING)
Uses Short wave radio waves with a
magnet to create an image.
MICROWAVES
(James Clerk Maxwell)
Have the
shortest
wavelengths and
the highest
frequency of
the radio
waves.
Used in microwave
ovens.
• Waves transfer
energy to the
water in the food
causing them to
vibrate which in
turn transfers
energy in the
form of heat to
the food.
INFRARED RAYS
(Sir William Herschel)
Infrared= below
red
Shorter
wavelength and
higher
frequency than
microwaves.
You can feel the
longest ones as
warmth on your
skin
Warm objects
give off more
heat energy than
cool objects.
Thermogram—a picture that shows regions of different
temperatures in the body. Temperatures are calculated by
the amount of infrared radiation given off.
Heat lamps give off
Therefore people give
infrared waves.
off infrared rays.
VISIBLE LIGHT
Shorter wavelength and
higher frequency than
infrared rays.
Electromagnetic waves we
can see.
Longest wavelength= red
light
Shortest wavelength=
violet (purple) light
When light enters
a new medium it
bends (refracts).
Each wavelength
bends a different
amount allowing
white light to
separate into it’s
various colors
ROYGBIV.
ULTRAVIOLET RAYS
(Johann Wilhelm Ritter)
Shorter
wavelength and
higher
frequency than
visible light
Carry more
energy than
visible light
Used to kill
bacteria.
(Sterilization
of equipment)
Too much can cause skin cancer.
Use sun block to protect against
(UV rays)
Causes your
skin to
produce
vitamin D
(good for
teeth and
bones)
X- RAYS
(Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen)
Shorter wavelength
and higher
frequency than
UV-rays
Carry a great
amount of energy
Can penetrate most
matter.
Bones and teeth absorb x-rays. (The light part
of an x-ray image indicates a place where the x-
ray was absorbed)
Too much exposure
can cause cancer
(lead vest at
dentist protects
organs from
unnecessary
exposure)
Used by engineers
to check for tiny
cracks in
structures.
– The rays pass
through the
cracks and the
cracks appear
dark on film.
GAMMA RAYS
(Paul Villard)
Shorter wavelength
and higher frequency
than X-rays
Carry the greatest
amount of energy
and penetrate the
most.
Used in radiation treatment to kill
cancer cells.
Can be very harmful if not used
correctly.
Exploding
nuclear
weapons emit
gamma rays.