Electromagnetic waves

Question 1

what is the order of the electromagnetic spectrum?

Answer 1

Radio-waves
Microwaves
Infrared
visible waves
Ultraviolet
X-rays
Gamma rays

Question 2

as you go down the spectrum, how is:
frequency?
wavelength?
energy?

affected

Answer 2

as you go down the spectrum

frequency increases
wavelength decreases
energy increases

Question 3

what’s special about ultraviolet, X rays, and gamma rays

Answer 3

they are ionising meaning they can harm and kill cells so they are dangerous

Question 4

what type of waves are electromagnetic waves

Answer 4

transverse

Question 5

Radio-waves:
what are their wavelengths and frequencies?
what are 3 things they are used for?

Answer 5

they have the highest wavelength and lowest frequency

TV, Radio, Phone calls

Question 6

Microwaves:
why are they used in satellite communication
what are 3 things they’re used for?

Answer 6

microwaves can travel through the atmosphere and reach satellites above earth, they don’t spread as much as radio waves
Satellite TV, WiFi, Bluetooth, Phones, heating up food

Question 7

Visible waves
how do we see colours?
what are 2 things they’re used for

Answer 7

different colours have different wavelengths eg red has the longest wavelength, violet has the lowest

Fibre optic communication, photography

Question 8

Infrared radiation
how are all objects affected by it?
what are 3 things its used for?

Answer 8

all objects emit infrared radiation, the hotter the object the more infrared radiation is emitted

thermal cameras, night vision, remote controls

Question 9

Ultraviolet
what are they emitted by?
what damage can they cause?
what are 3 things they’re used in

Answer 9

by the sun, or can be artificially made
they are ionising so it can cause blindness, eye damage or sun cancer

checking for fake money, tanning beds, sterilisation

Question 10

X-rays
how are they used in medical imaging?
what is 1 thing its used in?

Answer 10

they’re transmitted though tissue but absorbed by bone allowing us to view the skeleton

x-ray machines

Question 11

Gamma rays
what are their wavelengths and frequencies?
what can they do?
what are 2 things they’re used for?

Answer 11

they have the shortest wavelength and highest frequency

they can kill microorganisms

radiotherapy and sterilisation