5.5 The ElectroMagnetic Spectrum
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The electromagnetic spectrum is a continuous range of wavelengths and each different wavelength has different properties. All electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed, which is around 3 x108 m/s in a vacuum. The wavelengths vary from 10-15 m to 104 m. The frequencies of the waves vary because the wavelengths are different and they all travel at the same speed. The shorter the wave length, the greater the frequency is. On the contrary the longer the wave length, the lower the frequency is.
The spectrum starts from radio wave, who have the longest waves at around 1 m x 104 m, and goes onto gamma rays, which has the shortest wave length at around 10-15 m. You can see the full spectrum below.
The spectrum starts from radio wave, who have the longest waves at around 1 m x 104 m, and goes onto gamma rays, which has the shortest wave length at around 10-15 m. You can see the full spectrum below.
The electromagnetic spectrum and visible light spectrum.
Visible Light
Visible light is made up of a spectrum of colours. Each colour has a different wave length. Red light has the longest wave length out of visible light. Violet has the shortage wave length out of visible light. White light is made up of a spectrum of many different colours. These colours can be separated by shining white light through a prism. As the light shines through the prism, it is refracted. However, due to white light being made up of many different colours with different wave lengths, the different coloured lights are refracted at different angles. Reds, oranges and yellows are refracted the least because they have the longest wave length. Blues and violets are refracted the most because they have the shortest wave length.
Visible light is made up of a spectrum of colours. Each colour has a different wave length. Red light has the longest wave length out of visible light. Violet has the shortage wave length out of visible light. White light is made up of a spectrum of many different colours. These colours can be separated by shining white light through a prism. As the light shines through the prism, it is refracted. However, due to white light being made up of many different colours with different wave lengths, the different coloured lights are refracted at different angles. Reds, oranges and yellows are refracted the least because they have the longest wave length. Blues and violets are refracted the most because they have the shortest wave length.