SCIENCE REVIEWER
It is
ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
 Electromagnetic waves
- Electromagnetic waves are formed when an
electric field comes in contact with a magnetic
field.
- Transverse waves without a medium
- Parts
 Crust – Highest point of a wave
 Trough – Lowest point of a wave
 Wavelength – Distance between the waves
 Amplitude – How high a wave is from the
center
 Frequency – Measurement of the number of
waves that pass through a certain time
period.
- Travels very fast – Around 300,000 kilometers
per second (the speed of light)
Waves or Particles?
- Electromagnetic Spectrum has properties of
waves but can also be thought of a stream
 Electromagnetic Spectrum
- Name for the range of electromagnetic waves
when placed in order of frequency.
Types of Electromagnetic Radiation
 Radio waves
- or RF are the longest of all electromagnetic
waves. It is mainly used for transmitting
information from one point to another. They
range from the length of a football to larger than
our planet.
- Discovery: Heinrich Hertz. He used a spark gap
attach to an induction coil and a separate spark
gap on a receiving antenna. When waves
created by the sparks of the coil transmitter
were picked up by the receiving antenna,
sparks would jump its gap as well.
- Examples:
 Microwaves
 GPS
 Wifi
 Satellite
- Application
 Various frequency of radiowaves are used
for television and FM and AM radio
broadcasts, military communications,
mobile phones, ham radio, wireless
computer networks and numerous other
communications applications.
- Advantages and Disadvantages
 Adv: Can be used for communication.
transmitted easily and does not cause
damage when absorbed by the human
body.
 DisAdv: Has low frequency so it can’t
transmit a lot of data at a time.
 Microwaves
- It works by emitting electromagnetic radiation in
the microwave frequency range, which is
typically around 2.45 ghz, non-ionizing
radiation, meaning it doesn’t have enough
energy to remove electrons from atoms or
molecules unlike ionizing radiation such as x-
rays or gamma rays. Mainly used for cooking
due to its heating capability and used for gps
and long calls.
- Discovery: Percy Spencer developed and
patented the first microwave oven after noticing
that a magnetron was emitting heat-generating
microwaves during an experiment with radar
1945. The first models were huge-about 6 ft in
height and weighing more than 750pounds.
- Advantages and Disadvantages
 Adv: Supports larger bandwidth and hence
more information is transmitted. Antenna
size gets reduced, as the frequencies are
higher.
 DisAdv: Cost of equipment and installation
process is high. Electromagnetic
interference may occur.
 Infrared
- Or IR radiation is a type of electromagnetic
radiation that has a length greater than the
visible spectrum, is located adjacent to this type
of waves and microwave at its other end.
Infrared radiation can be emitted or absorbed
and is widely used in industry, science,
medicine, and engineering.
- Discovery: William Herschel. He devised and
experiment where he used a glass prism to
separate sunlight into rainbow of colors. Then,
he placed a thermometer under each color, with
one extra thermometer just beyond the red light
of the spectrum. He found that the thermometer
that was seemingly out of the light had the
highest temperature. Thus, he discovered
infrared light.
- Application:
 Heat source: Medical uses, Manufacturing
industires
 Cosmetology. Such as treating skin injuries,
smoothing wrinkles, reducing the
occurrence of dandruff, blackheads, etc.
 Infrared Photography
- Examples:
  Remote control; Acts as a transmitter that
picks up the command provided by the user
and accordingly generates a binary signal
with the help of infrared light radiations.
 Stoves
 Infrared lamps; Are the prime sources of
infrared radiation. The commercial
application of infrared lamps can be
observed in various industries and factories
such as pharmaceuticals, chemical
industries, etc.
- Advantages and Disadvantages
 Adv: Requires minimum power to operate
and can be set up to a low cost. It is a
secure way to transfer data between
devices. Can promote local blood
circulation and reduce muscle tension.
 DisAdv: Speed of transmitting is slow.
Signals are impacted by weather
conditions. Infrared signals are interpreted
by objects and people. Too much exposure
to the eye can cause ocular damage.
 Visible Light
- We can see these waves as the colors of the
rainbow where each color includes a different
wavelength. Red has the longest wavelength
and violet has the shortest one. When all the
waves are seen together, the form white light.
When white light comes through the prism, light
slows and bends and it different wavelengths
get separated into different colors.
- Examples: Sun, bulb, fire
- Application: Vision and Illumination,
Photography and Imaging, Communication
- Advantages and Disadvantages
 Adv: Consumes much less energy
compared to radiowaves and microwaves. It
is the only light in the electromagnetic
spectrum that is visible to the human eye.
 DisAdv: Can cause damage to X-ray
machines and film cameras. Prolonged
exposure can cause ocular damage and
can cause serious health problems.
 Ultraviolet
- Has shorter wavelengths than visible light and
is a form of non-ionizing radiation. Due to its
powerful radiation it is used for reliable
disinfection and surface cleaning but also to
reduce pollutants in water and air. Although UV
waves are invisible to the human eye, some
insects, such as bumblebees, can see them.
- Discovery: 1801, Johann Ritter conducted an
experiment to investigate the existence of
energy beyond the violet end of the visible
spectrum. Knowing that photographic paper
would turn black more rapidly in blue light than
in red light, he exposed the paper to light
beyond violet.
- Examples: Electric arc and laser, Sum lamps
and tanning equipments, Black lights
- Application: Serve as disinfectants/sanitation,
security, food processing, forensics,
phototherapy, manufacturing.
- Advantages and Disadvantages
 Adv: Vitamin D.
 DisAdv: Skin damage, Eye damage,
suppresses the immune system.
 X-RAY
- Scientists typically refer to x-rays in terms of
their energy rather than their wavelength
because they have considerably higher energy
and a shorter wavelength than UV light. X-rays
have very small wavelengths, between 0.03
and 3 nanometers.
- Examples: Computed tomography,
Flouroscopy, Dental Radiography,
Mammography, Angiography
- Advantages and Disadvantages
 Adv: Non-invasively and painlessly help to
diagnose disease and monitor therapy.
 DisAdv: Potential long-term radiation risks,
especially in children.
 Gamma rays
- Is a penetrating form of electromagnetic
radiation arising from the radioactive decay of
atomic nuclei. Has the smallest wavelengths
that is why it is more penetrating and it can very
much damage living cells.
- Advantages and Disadvantages
 Adv: Doesn’t need a power source to work.
Equipment is smaller in size. And costs low
 DisAdv: It is an ultrahuge acute dose.
Exposure times can be longer. Can kill
regular cells. Sources need replacing.