Electromagnetic+Spectrum



Source: http://www.upei.ca/~phys221/mbrookshaw/Glossary/complete_em_spectrum.JPG The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible electromagnetic radiation. An object's electromagnetic radiation is measured by frequency and wavelength. Visible electromagnetic radiation occurs at or around 400nm to 700nm.
 * The Spectrum**

When talking about the electromagnetic spectrum we are speaking of the different types of waves that travel through the air all the time. Some we can hear, some we can see, and some are very harmful to our bodies. But what exactly are these waves and how do we deal with them? Well, to begin, let’s talk about wavelength. Wavelength is represented by the Greek letter “lambda” and is defined as the distance between peaks in a wave. The visible light spectrum ranges in lengths from 400 nanometers to about 750 nanometers. In addition to the wavelength, frequency of waves is also very important. Frequency is represented by the Greek letter “nu” and is defined as the number of wavelengths per second. This is measured in Hertz and can be calculated by dividing the speed of light by the wavelength. Finally, there are several types of waves on the electromagnetic spectrum. It is important to become familiar with the names and ranges of these. Gamma rays range from about 10^ -6 nm to about 10^ -2 nm while X-rays range from 10^ -2 nm to 10 nm and Ultraviolet rays range from about 10 nm to 100 nm. All of these are harmful to the human body if not dealt with properly (like using sunscreen), and are not visible to the human eye. When wavelength is between 400 nm and 700 nm, as stated before, visible light stands. After that, infrared radiation extends from about 1000 nm to 1 mm, while microwaves stretch from 1 mm to about 10 cm, and finally, Radio waves extend from 10 cm past 100 km.
 * Wavelengths and Frequency**

Wavelength: the distance between successive peaks (or troughs) Gamma Rays< X-rays< Ultraviolet< Visible< Infrared< Microwaves<Radio Frequency

Frequency: the number of complete wavelengths that pass a given point each sec Radio Frequency< Microwaves< Infrared< Visible< Ultraviolet< X-rays< Gamma Rays

C= //v// * lambda Where c=speed of light //v//=frequency lambda=wavelength
 * Equations:**