the electromagnetic spectrum - lj create · the electromagnetic spectrum our eyes see only a small...

The Electromagnetic SpectrumOur eyes see only a small band of electromagnetic radiation: the band that we term visible light. There are many other forms of electromagnetic radiation. Collectively, they make up the electromagnetic spectrum.

All electromagnetic radiation travels through space at the speed of light and through Earth’s atmosphere at virtually the same speed. Different forms of electromagnetic radiation differ in their frequency and wavelength.

HigherLower

1012106 1013107 1014108 1015109 10161010 1017 10191011 1018 1020

AM RADIO MICROWAVE OVEN RADAR REMOTE CONTROL LIGHT BULB STARS X-RAY MACHINE RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTSFM RADIO

FREQUENCY in Hz

SOURCES

COMMON NAME OF A WAVE

“HARD” X-RAYS

GAMMA RAYS“SOFT” X-RAYSMICROWAVES

INFRARED ULTRAVIOLET

ShorterLonger

OHH

103 10-510-1 10-9101 10-710-3 10-11102 10-610-2 10-101 10-810-4 10-12

MOUNTAIN HOUSE PERSON BASEBALL FRUIT FLY CELL BACTERIA PROTEIN WATER MOLECULE ATOM

WAVELENGTH in m

EQUIVALENT SIZE OF A WAVELENGTH

COURTESY NASA

RADIO WAVES

VISIBLE LIGHT

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