Properties of Electromagnetic Waves
Physics: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 3.3.1
Properties of Electromagnetic Waves
There is a continuous spectrum of electromagnetic waves, from the highest energy gamma radiation to the lowest energy radio waves. Visible light is a small part of this spectrum.
Wavelength vs frequency
- As you move from gamma rays to radio waves, the wavelengths increase and the frequencies decrease.
- Gamma rays have the shortest wavelength and the highest frequency.
- Radio waves have the longest wavelength and the lowest frequency.
Wave energy
- Gamma rays also carry the most amount of energy than any other wave in the electromagnetic spectrum.
- Wave energy increases with frequency.
- Wave energy decreases with wavelength.
Seven types of wave
- The electromagnetic spectrum can be split into seven types of wave.
- In order of highest frequency to lowest the seven types are: gamma, X-ray, ultraviolet (UV), visible, infrared, microwave, and radio waves.
Wave speed
- All electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed in a vacuum.
- This speed, often referred to as “c”, is 3.0 x 108 m/s.
- To simplify things, we assume that the speed of electromagnetic waves in air is the same as that in a vacuum.
Test yourself on Properties of Electromagnetic Waves
As wavelength of a wave increases, what happens to its frequency?
Which type of electromagnetic wave has the lowest frequency?