THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

Visible light is only a small part of a much wider spectrum of different types of waves called the
electromagnetic spectrum.

This spectrum consists of different types of waves called electromagnetic waves.

Electromagnetic waves are defined by their special characteristics such as frequency,

wavelength, and amplitude.

The properties common to EM waves are as follows:

 They all travel at the same speed [300,000,000 m/s]

 They transfer energy from one place to the other
 The all obey the wave equation [speed =frequency by wavelength]
 They all travel in a vacuum
 They are transverse in nature
 They are not charged [Meaning they have no charge]

NOTE

The diagram below shows the seven waves in the electromagnetic spectrum arranged in order of
decrease wavelength.

The table below shows the describes the sources dangers and uses of the seven EM waves

EM WAVES SOURCES DANGERS USES

Radio wave o Radio and TV transmitting
antenna, galaxies and starts
MICROWAV o Special electronics devices
E such as klystron
INFRA-RED o Hot bodies, electric
fire ,the sun
Visible light o The sun ,very hot objects
 Prolonged exposure  In communication
causes cancer through radio and Tv
 In global positioning
system [GPS]
 Radio telescopes
It can be detected by radio receiver
 Causes brain damage  In microwaves cookies
 Causes cold burns in (causes water and fat
humans. molecules to vibrate
 Prolonged exposure  In cell phone
causes cataracts in communication
humans (clouding of  In radars (radio
lens) detecting and ranging)
 In detecting aircrafts
and ships
It can be detected by thermistor
bolometers, point contact bodies
 It causes overheating  Infra-red remote
 It causes skin burn controls for radios and
television sets
 In heat therapy for
treatment of muscular
pains
 In night vision cameras.
 In satellite
communications
 In security alarms
system.
Can be detected by the
skin ,photoconductive
cells ,radiometers, bolometers
 Can damage retina  In seeing

Ultraviolet o The sun mercury vapor
lamps, electric arcs in
welding operation
X-Ray o X-ray tube ( rapid
deceleration of fast moving
electrons by a mental
target)
when viewed directly  In photography
 In photosynthesis
 In information
transmission (in fiber
optics)
 It can be detected by the
eye ,photographic films,
photo cells
 Damage retina when  In fluorescent lamps
viewed directly  In sterilizing medical
 Over exposure causes equipment
skin cancer  In security marking
 Over exposure causes  In photosynthesis by
sunburn flora
 To examine eggs in
poultry; old eggs glow
purple while fresh glow
scarlet.
Can be detected by photographic
films, photoelectric cells electronics
detectors
 Over exposure causes  In medicals diagnosis
cancer ( CAT scan)
 In medical treatment
example of cancer
( with controlled amount
)
 In engineering to know
the structure of crystal
 In seeing through
objects(detection of
 flaws/cracks)
 At airport to check for
hidden substance
Can be detected by a photographic
films and ionization chambers

Gamma Rays o Radioactive materials  Uncontrolled exposure  In radiograph

examples uranium and causes cancer  In the treatment of
cobalt.  Uncontrolled exposure cancer
causes gene mutation  In thickness
determination of paper
and metal sheets
Can be detected by photographic
films,Gerger Muller
tubes(GMT) ,ionization chambers etc.