Page 48 - WAVES
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6.7 Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic spectrum
Radio waves
long medium short micro infra red light ultra X-rays gamma
waves waves waves VHF UHF waves violet rays
1000 m 1m 1mm 1 x 10 -3 1 x 10 -6 1 x 10 -9
mm mm mm
Increasing frequency
frequency ↓ frequency ↑
Increasing wavelength
wave length ↑ wave length ↓
• Electromagnetic spectrum is the full range of electromagnetic waves, arranged in decreasing
wavelength (longest to shortest).
• It consists of radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays, X – rays and
gamma rays.
• Radio waves have the longest wavelength but are of low frequency waves. They carry very little
energy.
• Gamma rays have the shortest wavelength but are of high frequency waves. They carry very
high energy.
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