WAVES OF THE ELECTROMAGNET SPECTRUM HOW DO ELECTROMAGNET

WAVES OF THE ELECTROMAGNET SPECTRUM

HOW DO ELECTROMAGNET WAVES COMPARE? • All travel at same speeds in vacuum • Have different wavelengths and frequencies • Visible light is only range of wavelengths you can see

WHAT MAKES UP THE ELECTROMAGNET SPECTRUM • Radio waves • Microwaves • Infrared rays • Visible light • Ultraviolet rays • X-rays • Gamma rays

RADIO WAVES • Longest wavelength and lowest frequency • Used to broadcast radio programs • Electrical signals are converted to sounds

MICROWAVES • Have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies than radio waves • Uses include RADAR and cellular phone communications

INFRARED RAYS • Have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies than microwaves • Uses include heat bulbs to get items warm • Warmer objects give off infrared waves with more energy and higher frequencies

VISIBLE LIGHT • Electromagnet waves that you can see • Make up only a small part of the electromagnet spectrum • Have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies than infrared rays

ULTRAVIOLET WAVES • Wavelengths shorter and frequencies higher than visible light • Can damage or kill living cells • Causes sunburn when skin is overexposed and unprotected • Small doses can be helpful in production of vitamin D

X-RAYS • Wavelength shorter and frequency higher than ultraviolet rays • X-rays can penetrate most matter • Dense matter absorbs x-rays • Used in industry and medicine

GAMMA RAYS • Shortest wavelengths and highest frequencies • Most penetrating electromagnet wave • Used to examine body’s internal structures by infection of fluids that exert gamma rays • Gamma Rays are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere