ELECTROMAGNETIC

Wave
 What is a Wave?

• A wave: Described as
disturbance that travels
through a medium from
one place to another.
Three types of waves
1. Mechanical Wave – Moves through a
medium
2. Electromagnetic Waves – Do not require a
medium to move through.
3. Matter Waves – Electrons and Particles
What is Electromagnetic Wave?
• They are also called EM waves or EM radiation.

• They are created as a result of vibrations between an electric

field and a magnetic field.

• They can travel through empty space (Vacuum)

• EM waves travel VERY FAST – around 300, 000 km/s

Parts of a wave
1. CREST – highest point in the wave
2. TROUGH – the lowest point in the wave
3. AMPLITUDE – It is the distance from the midpoint to the highest
point or lowest point of the wave
4. WAVELENGTH – It is the distance between two successive identical
parts of a wave.
• Speed of a wave = The Frequency (f)
• V=fm
• V=velocity
• F=Frequency (Hz)
• m=wavelength
• Speed of a wave = The Frequency (f)
multiplied by the wavelength

• Hertz (Hz) is a measure of frequency.

Specifically, it’s one cycle per second.
Example Problem
• An EM wave has wavelength of 4.0 meters in a vacuum space. What is
the frequency of the EM wave?

• Given: λ= 4.0 m ; v= 3.0 x m/s; f =?

• Formula: v = fλ; f = v/λ
• Solution: f = 3.0 x m/s / 4.0 m
• Answer: 75, 000, 000 Hz
Types of Electromagnetic waves
• Radio waves
• Microwaves
• Infrared
• Visible light
• Ultraviolet
• Xray
• Gamma ray
ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
Important concepts to remember:
• From RADIO to VISIBLE is known as NON-IONIZING
WAVES.
• From ULTRAVIOLET to GAMMA RAY is called
IONIZING WAVES.

• These waves are HIGH frequency (waves are near each other) and
DANGEROUS to our cells when absorbed.
ELECTROMAGNETIC wave theory
proponents
• James Clerk Maxwell (1831-
1879)

• Around 1862, Contributed in

developing equations showing the
relationship of electricity
magnetism.
ELECTROMAGNETIC wave theory
proponents
• Heinrich Hertz

• In 1879, Showed experimental

evidence of electromagnetic waves
and their link to light