THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM Visible Ight can be split into a spectrum of colours, from red through the rainbow ta violet. But visible ight is just one tiny part of the whole electromagnetic spectrum. All he different types of electromagnetic waves: travel at the same speed through a vacuum. ‘The waves con be ordered by wavelength. Waves with shortest wavelengths have the highest frequency ‘and the most energy, Waves with the jongest wavelengths have the lowest frequency and the least, energy. GAMMA RADIATION At the very shortest wavelengths, there is gamma radiation. it cannat be seen or fet. It mostly passes through skin and soft tissue, but some of itis absorbed by cells. Gamma waves have a very high frequency, We use gamma rodiation to sterilse surgical instruments and to kill harmful bacteria in food. Used in the right way, gamma radiation can target and kill cancer cells. But in general, exposure to gamma radiation is dangerous, as it can make cells cancerous. X-RAYS 2¢rays have a longer wavelength than gamma radiation. Like gamma rays, they cannot be seen or felt. They mostly poss through skin and soft tissue, but they do not easily pass through bone or metal. This makes them suitable for medical imoging {and for checking metal components and welds for cracks or other damage. ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION Next there is ulroviolet radiation. tis found naturally in sunlight. We cannot see or feel it, but our skin responds ta it by tuming darker. Ultraviolet radiation is used in sun beds, security pens and in fluorescent lights. Coatings inside the tube or bulb absorb the ultraviolet ight and re-emit it as visible light. VISIBLE LIGHT Allthe light we con see fits in here. To remember the colours in order of wavelength, think of a rainbow. Violet has the shortest and red the longest wavelengths in the visible spectrum. if we keep stretching the wavelength of visible red ight we get to infrored. (Once again were back to invisible radiation. INFRARED RADIATION Infrared is absorbed by the skin and we fee! it as heat. Its used in ‘heaters, toasters and grils. tis also used for television remote controls {and in optical fore communications. MICROWAVES ‘Microwave radiation has even longer wavelengths. Water in food can absorb microwave radiation, which is ‘how food heats up in a microwave oven. Microwave radiation is also used to transmit mobile phone signals. Microwave transmitters and receivers on buildings and masts communicate with the mobile telephones in their range. RADIO WAVES ‘And finally, radio waves - they have the longest wavelengths of al, which means they have the lowest {frequencies too. They are used to transmit television and radio programmes. ‘Some wavelengths of radio waves are diffracted by the ground, which means they can be received behind ils, And some radlo transmissions con be reflected off a layer of the atmosphere called the ionosphere. This ‘means radio signals can be sent around the world without using satellites. © BBC 2008