ELECTROMAGNETIC

WAVES AND THE

ELECTROMAGNETIC
SPECTRUM
Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic waves
perpendicular waves combing the
electric and magnetic fields.

Electromagnetic waves are

produced when an electric charge
vibrates or accelerates and can
travel through empty space or
through matter.
Electromagnetic Spectrum

Highest frequency
Gamma rays
Shortest wavelength
X rays
Ultraviolet
Visible light
Infra-red
Microwaves
Radio waves Lowest frequency
Longest wavelength
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Diagram
Diagram of Electromagnetic Spectrum
(including the relationship between
frequency and wavelength).
 Speed of Electromagnetic
Waves

All electromagnetic waves travel at 3.0 x

108 m/s in a vacuum.
Speed of a wave formula:
Speed = Frequency x Wavelength
As
the frequency increases, the wavelength
decreases.\
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Includes the following types of waves
Radio
Microwaves
Radar
Infrared
Visible Light
Ultraviolet
X-Rays
Gamma Rays
 Electromagnetic Spectrum

 Hence this is the complete EM wave spectrum (the
waves below in ascending order of wavelength;
descending order of frequency )

Gamma x-rays Ultra- Visible Infra- Microwave Radio wave

rays violet ray light red ray

Highest f Lowest f
Shortest Longest
Overview of EM waves
Waves

Longitudinal Waves Transverse Waves

Sound waves
Electromagnetic Waves

Classified into
Properties
Comprises of
Electromagnetic Spectrum

Radiowave Infra-Red Ultra-Violet Gamma ray

Microwave Light X-ray

 Gamma rays
Gamma rays have the shortest
wavelengths and highest
frequencies in the EM spectrum.
It is generated by :
Changes in energy levels in the nucleus

Some radioactive substances and certain

nuclear reactions produce gamma rays.

Because of their great penetrating ability,

gamma rays can cause serious illness.
However when used in controlled
conditions, gamma rays is useful in cancer
treatment.
 Uses of Gamma Rays

Kill cancer cells

Study the
nucleus in atoms
Gamma Rays
Gamma rays are the
highest energy
electromagnetic wave.
They usually come from
radioactive elements or
stars
Uses include:
Killing
cancer cells
Making pictures of the brain
Inspection tools in industry
 X-rays

X rays is generated by :
a) Rapid deleceration of fast moving
electrons
b) Changes in energy of innermost orbital
electrons

X-rays are used for :

) diagnostic tool in dentistry and medicine.
Doctors and dentists can examine the
condition of a persons bones, the root of
this teeth or the state of other inner part
of the body.
) Custom officers at airports inspect the
content of your luggage using X-rays.
) Industry wise, it is used to find cracks in
structures just like cracks in bones.
X-Rays
X-Rays have high energy and can
penetrate some material.
Used in:
Medicine
Industry
Transportation

Too much exposure can damage

living tissue or even cause cancer.
X - Rays
X-Ray radiation has a high
.. ability and
can pass right through our
bodies.
X-rays film forms images
depending on the
.. of the X-rays
falling on it.
The .. left by
things that the X-rays can't
travel through (like bones or
metal) form the
on medical X-rays.
Over exposure can cause
.. .
 Uses of X-rays

Take pictures of
bones in the body
Study the crystal
structure of
crystalline
substances
Check for cracks
in metal plates
 Ultraviolet Waves
UV Light that is at a higher frequency and
energy than violet light.
UV light can kill micro-organisms.
Too much exposure can cause:
Sunburn, Wrinkles, and skin cancer
As it damages cell DNA
 Ultra-violet
The main source of ultra-violet radiation is sunlight and it is this
radiation which gives rise to suntan and also sunburn.
Ultra-violet radiation is used in hospitals to sterilize the surgical
instruments and operating theatres as it kills bacteria and viruses.
UV can be detected by:
a) Photographic plates
b) Photoelectric cell
c) Fluorescence
 Uses of Ultraviolet

Detect
counterfeit notes
Gives the clothes
a glow effect in
discotheques
Sun-tanning
Sterilise medical
equipment
Visible Light
Visible light is made up of the
various ..................... of colored light.
The is determined by the frequency of the
light.
When electromagnetic radiation of this
frequency falls on our . our brain
interprets it as colour.
 Visible Light
Visible light is the part of the EM
spectrum which can be detected by the
human eye.

The visible light has its own spectrum

which consist of the 7 colours of light :
Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo
Violet

An example of visible light is the

colourful laser light or the light from a
firework.

Some of the uses of light is in

optical fibres in medicine and
telecommunications.
 Visible Light
Our eyes detect
electromagnetic energy in
a small portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum
called the visible light
region.

The visible light region

corresponds the
wavelengths and
frequencies of red,
 Uses of Visible Light

Enable us to
see things
Photosynthesis
in plants
 Infra-red waves
Heat can be transferred through infrared
radiation.
We often think of infra red as being the same
thing as 'heat', because it makes our skin feel
warm.

Most of you might have seen infra-red waves in

use during the SARS period. (picture on the top
right hand corner). It shows a thermo-detector
which is placed outside hospitals/airport to
identify the warm and cool parts of a person by
analyzing infra-red radiation emitted from the
persons body. And through this we can see if
someone is having a fever.

Infra red is useful for:

- For navigation through fog & haze as it is
less easily scattered compared to visible light
 Uses of Infra-red

Heating
Haze
photography
Infrared image of a human body. Red is hot, blue is cool.
 Infrared Waves
Infrared waves are heat waves.
All objects emit infrared waves because all
objects possess heat.
Night vision goggles detect infrared waves and
allow the user to see the movement of objects
in the dark.
Many TV remotes use infrared.
 Microwaves
One of their most common uses is in
microwave ovens. When you switch on
a microwave oven , it gives off
electromagnetic waves that bounce
around inside the oven, penetrating the
food. Water molecules in the food
absorb the energy from the microwaves,
causing the food to get hot.

Other uses of microwaves:

a) Radar communication (as it is not easily
blocked of by buildings/trees)
b) Analysis of fine details of molecular and
atomic structure
c) Useful demonstration of all wave
properties on macroscopic scale
d) Telephone communication (mobile
phones, etc)
 Uses of Microwaves

Radar
communication
Analysis of the
molecular and
atomic structure
Telephone
communications
 Radio waves
Radio waves are the electromagnetic waves
with the longest wavelengths and lowest
frequencies

Like all electromagnetic waves, radio waves

can travel through a vacuum. However
most of the radio waves we receive have
traveled through air. Take the radio as an
example. The radio converts the
electromagnetic waves into the sound
that comes out of the radio speakers.

Uses of radio waves:

a) Radio and television communication
(to transmit sound and picture
information over long distance)
b) Radar & satellite communication
c) Navigation or ships & aircrafts
 Uses of Radio Waves

Radar
communications
TV and radio
broadcasting
Radio Waves
Radio waves have the

wavelengths in the
electromagnetic
spectrum.
These waves can be
longer than a
. or as
short as a .
Radio waves do more
than just bring music
to your radio.
They also carry
. for your
and
 THANK YOU ..