Lesson 10.

Electromagnetic Waves
and Light

General Physics 1/2

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Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Have you seen an
image of your lungs?

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Have you ever tasted a grilled food?

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 From seeing your lungs through X-ray to grilling your
favorite food, electromagnetic waves are always there.

There is a vast applications of EM waves. We will discuss

them in this discussion.

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What are the electromagnetic
properties of light?

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Learning Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:

Relate the properties of EM wave (wavelength,

frequency, speed) and the properties of
vacuum and optical medium (permittivity,
permeability, and index of refraction) (STEM-
GP12OPTIVb-12).

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 Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to do the following:

● Explain the major properties of an

electromagnetic wave.

● Explain the relationships among frequency,

wavelength, and speed of an EM wave.

● Determine the effects of an optical medium to the

speed of an EM wave.
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 Electromagnetic Wave

● A vibrating charge generates a time-varying magnetic

field that induces a time-varying electric field.

● Because of this, an electromagnetic (EM) wave is

composed of sinusoidal time-varying magnetic and
electric fields that are at right angles with each other
and are travelling at a speed (c) of 2.99 ✕ 108 m/s in
free space.

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 Electromagnetic Wave

● An electromagnetic wave oscillates in the same shape

as a sinusoidal wave.

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 Electromagnetic Wave

Frequency Wavelength
● Frequency or f ● The wavelength or λ is
(measured in hertz or the distance between
Hz) refers to the two crests or two
number of a wave’s troughs on a wave,
vibrations or such that the distance
oscillations per unit between them
time. comprise a single
complete wavelength.
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 Electromagnetic Wave

Wavelength and Frequency Relationship

● You can notice from the figure that if you have low
frequency, the wavelength has a high value and if the
frequency is high, the wavelength has small value.

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What are the electromagnetic
properties of light?

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The Electromagnetic Spectrum

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Remember
Despite variations in frequencies and
wavelengths across the EM spectrum,
remember that each electromagnetic
wave propagates at the same speed, c =
299 792 458 m/s or 2.99 ✕ 108 m/s in
vacuum/ free space, such that the
relation c = λf holds true in each case.
This speed is the maximal possible
value that light can achieve.
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The EM Spectrum

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 The EM Spectrum

● The topmost bar (Y is for yes and N is for no) specifies

whether or not the given EM radiation penetrates the
atmosphere of the earth.

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 The EM Spectrum

● The wavelengths are presented in meters using

scientific notation. Observe the progression of the
spectrum from the longer waves to the shorter ones.

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 The EM Spectrum
Common Types of EM radiation and their applications

Radiation Applications

Radio Wave This is used in radio and TV

broadcasting, mobile phones, remote
sensing and weather radar systems.

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 The EM Spectrum
Common Types of EM radiation and their applications

Radiation Applications

Microwave This is used in information

transmission in space, heating food,
remote sensing, and weather
forecasting using Doppler radars.

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 The EM Spectrum
Common Types of EM radiation and their applications

Radiation Applications

Infrared Radiation This type of radiation is commonly

emitted as thermal energy. It is used in
heat-sensitive thermal imaging, night-
vision cameras, detecting heat
patterns, and security cameras.

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 The EM Spectrum
Common Types of EM radiation and their applications

Radiation Applications

Visible Light This includes the range of colors that

we are able to see with our naked eye.

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 The EM Spectrum
Common Types of EM radiation and their applications

Radiation Applications

Ultraviolet This radiation is present in sunlight. It is

also used in sterilization procedures
and phototherapy.

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 The EM Spectrum
Common Types of EM radiation and their applications

Radiation Applications

X-ray This is typically used to detect bone

fractures, and in some cases, breast
cancer.

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 The EM Spectrum
Common Types of EM radiation and their applications

Radiation Applications

Gamma ray This is used in radiotherapy and in

sterilization. It comes from the
radioactive decay of subatomic
particles. Atomic bombs, lightning
storms, and supernovae all produce
huge amounts of gamma rays.

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How do varying frequencies and
wavelengths produce different
types of electromagnetic
radiation?

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 Propagation of EM waves

Difference of of Permittivity of Free Space in electricity

(ε0) and Permeability of Free Space in magnetism (µ0)

● Permittivity refers to a material’s resistance against

the formation of an electric field, while permeability
refers to a material’s ability to permit a magnetic field
to pass through it.

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 Propagation of EM waves

Difference of of Permittivity of Free Space in electricity

(ε0) and Permeability of Free Space in magnetism (µ0)

● Permittivity measures the amount of electric charges

required to produce an electric flux in a medium, while
permeability aids in the production of a magnetic
field.

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How do permittivity and
permeability affect the
propagation of electric and
magnetic fields?

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 Check Your Understanding

Identify what is being referred to in each of the

following statements.
1. Owing to its regular, harmonic oscillations, an
electromagnetic wave is considered as a
__________________.
2. A complete __________________ refers to the distance
between the two crests or two troughs of a wave.
3. A wave’s wavelength and frequency are
__________________ proportional.
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 Electromagnetic Application
Check Your Understanding
Radiation

Identify
radio wave at least two
1. applications of each of the
electromagnetic radiations below.
_______________________________________

infrared 2.
_______________________________________

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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● An electromagnetic (EM) wave is composed of

sinusoidal time-varying magnetic and electric
fields that are at right angles with each other
and are travelling at a speed (c) of 2.99 ✕ 108 m/s
in free space.
● Frequency or f (measured in hertz or Hz) refers
to the number of a wave’s vibrations or
oscillations per unit time.
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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● The wavelength or λ (lowercase Greek lambda) is

the distance between two crests (or highest
points) or two troughs (or lowest points) on a
wave, such that the distance between them
comprise a single complete wavelength.
● The amplitude is defined as the vertical distance
between the central axis of a wave and the tip of a
crest.
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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● The visible light spectrum, which comprises only

a short fraction of the whole scale of
electromagnetic radiation, refers to the light that
we see with our eyes.

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 Let’s Sum It Up!

● Each electromagnetic wave propagates at the

same speed, c = 299 792 458 m/s or 2.99 ✕ 108
m/s in vacuum/ free space, such that the relation
c = λf holds true in each case. This speed is the
maximal possible value that light can achieve
and decreases if the EM wave is travelling through
a medium.

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Challenge Yourself

Explain the relationship among

frequency, wavelength, and speed of
an electromagnetic wave.

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Photo Credit

● Slide 15: EM SFile:EM Spectrum Properties edit.svg by Inductiveload, NASA is licensed under
CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

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Bibliography
Faughn, Jerry S. and Raymond A. Serway. Serway’s College Physics (7th ed). Singapore: Brooks/Cole,
2006.

Giancoli, Douglas C. Physics Principles with Applications (7th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2014.

Halliday, David, Robert Resnick and Kenneth Krane. Fundamentals of Physics (5th ed). USA: Wiley, 2002.

Knight, Randall D. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach (4th ed). USA: Pearson
Education, 2017.

Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics (9th
ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014.

Walker, James S. Physics (5th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2017.

Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics with
Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.
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