Electromagnetic
 Waves

Light and wave lesson illustration

 

What does ice cream look like in an infrared camera?

Onsite Version

 

Video Instruction

showmethephysics.com

 

 

 

Light and wave lesson illustration

Onsite Version

Assessment

Teachers' Domain: Infrared Gallery

Teachers' Domain, Infrared Gallery,
 published October 21, 2005,  retrieved on April 2, 2009,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/

Light and wave lesson illustration

 

Notes

 

Electromagnetic Radiation - waves of energy generated by the acceleration of charges

 

 

Why can't neutrons make this kind of wave?

 

 

Have no charge

 

- travel at the speed of light in a vacuum

 

 

3 x 108 m/s


 Electromagnetic Wave
Santa Barbara City College

Light and wave lesson illustration

NASA - Electromagnetic Waves

 

 

Charges "shake" off their energy

Light and wave lesson illustration 

 in waves when they vibrate

 

 

Vibrating Charges &
Electromagnetic Waves
Physics 2000

3d Electromagnetic Wave
 - David M. Harrison

Light and wave lesson illustration

3d Electromagnetic Wave # 2
 - David M. Harrison



 

 

 

 

 

Electromagnetic Radiation

 - Wavelength and Frequency
Spectrum © W. Bauer

 

Light and wave lesson illustration

Conversion of a DICOM-format X-ray from a ten year old male showing polydactyly. This is the patient's left hand, posterior-anterior projection. Identifying tags and such have been stripped. en:User:Drgnu23, subsequently altered by Grendelkhan, Raul654, and Solipsist.

 

 

In the late 40's & early
50's, an x-ray unit was
a common shoe store
sales promotion device.
They were finally
banned in the US in 1970. 

 

Source - Museum of quackery 

Wikipedia 

Light and wave lesson illustration 

Meet the Pedoscope

Light and wave lesson illustration

 

Source - Museum of Quackery - Bob McCoy

 

Which wave has the
smallest wavelength?

(hint: most penetrating)

Light and wave lesson illustration 

 

 

 

Gamma Rays,

Light and wave lesson illustration

X-Rays 

 

 

 

 

Which wave has the
smallest frequency?

Light and wave lesson illustration

 

 

 

 

Radio Light and wave lesson illustrationWaves

 

 

 

 

Which Color Has the
Greatest Wavelength?

Light and wave lesson illustration

 

 

 

Red

 

 

 

Smallest Wavelength?

Light and wave lesson illustration

 

 

 

Violet

 

Light and wave lesson illustration

Which color of light has a
frequency of 6.0 x 1014  Hz?

Light and wave lesson illustration

 

Green

 

 

 

What is the frequency

of light whose wavelength

is 6 x 10-7 m?

 

v = fl

 

3x108 m/s = f[6 x 10-7 m]

 

f = 5  x 1014 Hz

What color?

 

Orange

 

 

Try this at home

Seeing invisible waves with your cellphone

 

Enrichment


 

 

 
Medical imaging illustration

🎧 Podcast · 15 min

A Beam of Hope: How Physics Changed Medicine

More episodes →

Explore: The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Slide from radio waves to gamma rays.

Watch the wavelength shrink and the energy of each photon grow as the frequency goes up.

Try This

Find the frequency of green light (about 5.5 × 1014 Hz). Then find a frequency where radiation becomes ionizing.

↓

Green light is about 545 nm. Radiation becomes ionizing in the ultraviolet, around 2–3 × 1015 Hz (about 10 eV per photon).

More: Light & Technology lessons

Check Your Understanding

5 quick questions — pick an answer to see if you’re right.

1. Electromagnetic waves are produced by accelerating charges. Why can't a vibrating neutron produce them?

2. In a vacuum, how does the speed of radio waves compare to the speed of X-rays?

3. Which electromagnetic wave has the smallest wavelength?

4. What is the frequency of light with a wavelength of 6 × 10⁻⁷ m in a vacuum?

5. Which color of visible light has the greatest wavelength?