Objective:

 What is Radiation?
 How does radiation transfer in the earth’s atmosphere?
 What is electromagnetic spectrum?

Introduction

Radiation
Radiation is defined as energy that travels through space or matter in the form of a
particle or wave. It can be produced in one of two ways: by radioactive decay of an unstable
atom (radionuclide), or by the interaction of a particle with the matter.
Electromagnetic radiation is an energy that travels in the form of electromagnetic waves.
Different types of electromagnetic waves carried different amount of energy, the shorter the
wavelength the more energy carried by the wave. The wavelength of emitted radiation is
determined by the temperature of the object it comes from, the higher the temperature, the
shorter the wavelength of emitted radiation.
The sun, with its high surface temperature (T=3600K) emits a great deal of high energy
short wavelength radiation. Energy emitted by the sun is also referred to a solar or a short wave
radiation. Most of solar radiation is the visible light we see with our eyes but it also includes
wavelength that we cannot see, like the ultraviolet light that causes sunburn.
The Earth however, being much cooler than the sun emits lower energy, longer
wavelength radiation. Energy emitted by the earth is also referred to as terrestrial which means
land’s based or long wave radiation. Although, we can’t see long wave radiation with our eyes,
we detect it as heat. The temperature of earth depends largely on the total radiation received from
the sun. The earth reflects about 30% of the solar energy radiation reaching it, and absorbs the
remaining 70% percent. The absorbed solar radiation heats up the earth, while the earth
continually absorbs solar radiation it will not simply continue to heat up. In response to this
heating, the earth emits long wave radiation into space. The emission of long wave radiation
cools the earth. As the earth cools, it emits less radiation to space but because it is still
continually absorbing solar radiation it still heats up. As it heats up, the earth emits more
radiation to space and so it cools.
This dynamic physical process of absorption and emission, and resulting to heating and
cooling creates what is known as a state of equilibrium. The term equilibrium describes a stable
condition where all of the influencing factors are imbalance and so cancel each other out.
Because of this equilibrium the temperature of the earth has been relatively constant over time.
For scientist, this balance between the amounts of solar radiation absorbs and the amount of long
wave radiation emitted by the earth is known as radiative equilibrium.
Radiative Equilibrium tells us that the long wave radiation emitted by the earth will equal
the amount of solar radiation that is absorbed by the earth. In fact, we can determine the
temperature of the earth by knowing the amount of long wave radiation it emits.
If one of the components of the earth’s energy balance changes the amount of long wave
radiation the earth emits, the temperature of the earth will also change, and the earth will arrived
at a new radiative equilibrium. For example, if the amount of solar radiation absorbed were to
suddenly increased, the amount of long wave radiation emitted will also increase. The
temperature of the earth would then increase but a new radiative equilibrium would be reached.
So the earth would not continue to become hotter.

Electromagnetic Spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is the complete spectrum (or continuum) of all forms of
“light”. An electromagnetic wave consists of electric and magnetic fields which vibrate - thus
making waves.
Properties of electromagnetic waves include speed(s), frequency (f), and wavelength (λ)
Formula:
S= f x λ
All light waves travel at a speed of 3 x108m/s in a vacuum.
Electromagnetic wave characteristics:
-short wavelengths have a high frequency
-long wavelengths have a low frequency
-high frequency waves have high energy
-low frequency waves have low energy
The electromagnetic spectrum consists of:
 Radio waves

-Low energy waves with longest wavelengths

-Includes FM, AM, radar and TV waves

-Wavelengths of 1 m (10 -1 m) and longer

-Low frequency

-Used in many devices such as remote control items, cell phones, wireless devices,
etc.

• Microwaves
-Only radio waves are longer
-Wavelength 1 x 10-1 m to 1 x 10 - 4 m (1 m to 0.001 m)
-used for communication, medicine and consumer use (microwave ovens)
• Infrared waves
-Invisible electromagnetic waves that are detected as heat
-Can be detected with special devices such as night goggles
-Used in heat lamps
-Higher energy than microwaves but lower than visible light
• Visible light waves
-The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that human eyes can detect
-ROY G BIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet)
-Which color has the lowest frequency?
Red has the lowest frequency –violet the highest
• Ultraviolet waves
-Higher energy than light waves
-Can cause skin cancer and blindness in humans
-Used in tanning beds and sterilizing equipment
• X-ray waves
-High energy waves
 -Used in medicine, industry and astronomy
-Can cause cancer
•Gamma waves
-Highest energy
-Blocked from Earth’s surface by atmosphere
References

Ibrahim, Syed. (2017). The Electromagnetic Spectrum. 10.13140/RG.2.2.34731.44325.

Lee, Jaehyug & Song, Tae-Ho. (2019). Conduction/radiation combined heat transfer with contact
resistance for application to vacuum insulation. International Journal of Heat and Mass
Transfer. 129. 380-388. 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.09.085.
Steiner A. (2016). Radiation: effects and sources, United Nations Environment
Programme. Austria: UNEP. Retrieved from
https://www.fsev.org/fileadmin/user_upload/89_News/Oeff.-
Arbeit/Radiation_Effects_and_sources-2016.pdf
 Time to remember..

.①What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength?

①What characteristic of gamma waves gives them their high energy?

①What does ROY G BIV mean? What part of the electromagnetic spectrum does it refer

to?The Electromagnetic Spectrum 21

Time to Think④Which color is more energetic, red or yellow?⑤Which type of wave

travels faster, gamma or radio?⑥Why are microwaves more dangerous than radio

waves?The Electromagnetic Spectrum 22

Apply What You Know⑦You have just been involved in a traffic incident that leaves

you stranded on the side of the road. Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum would
be of the most use to you and why?The Electromagnetic Spectrum 23

Answers①Frequency and wavelength are properties of waves and since speed is constant for em

waves, as frequency increases, wavelength decreases. In other words, they have an indirect

relationship.①Gamma waves get their high energy from their extremely short wavelengths (or

extremely fast frequency)①ROY G BIV stands for “red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and

violet. They are the colors of the visible light in order of longest wavelength to shortest

wavelength.①Yellow is more energetic than red because it has a shorter wavelength (or larger

frequency)①Gamma waves and radio waves travel at the same speed①Microwaves are more

dangerous than radio waves because they have a higher frequency and carry more energy