Wave C12

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The electromagnetic spectrum:

1. The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is the range of all types of


EM radiation.
a. The electromagnetic spectrum divides into seven bands
which in order of decreasing wavelength.

2. All electromagnetic waves, including visible light have the


following common properties:
a. They transfer energy
b. They are all transverse waves
c. They all travel at the same speed through a vacuum (300
000 000 m/s)
d. They can all be reflected, refracted and diffracted.

NOTE: According to Albert Einsteins Theory of Relativity nothing can


travel faster than the speed of light (3x 108ms-1) through a vacuum.

Check Your Understanding


1) Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:
The electromagnetic __________ is a group of waves that are
divided into ________ bands. Gamma rays have the ________
wavelength, highest frequency and ________.
The rest of the spectrums, in order of increasing wavelength are:
x-rays, _________, visible light, infra-red, ___________ and radio
waves.
All electromagnetic waves travel at the same _______ through a
__________, 300 000 000 m/s.
(shortest, energy spectrum, vacuum, ultraviolet, speed, seven,
microwaves )

2) Which band of the electromagnetic spectrum has:


a. the longest wavelength?
b. the lowest frequency?
c. the shortest wavelength?

3) Radio waves travel at 300,000,000 m/s through a vacuum.


a. How long will radio waves take to reach the Moon if the Moon is
600000 km from the Earth?
b. Calculate the wavelength of radio waves that have frequency
200 kHz

4) Light travels at 300,000,000 m/s through a vacuum.


a. How long will light take to reach the Earth from the Sun if the
Sun is 150,000,000 km from the Earth?
b. Calculate the frequency of red light that has a wavelength of
7.0 x 10-7 m.

5) Which band of the electromagnetic spectrum has:


a. a wavelength in between infra-red and ultra-violet?
b. a wavelength in between gamma rays and ultra-violet?
c. a frequency in between infra-red and radio waves?
Radio Waves:
1. Radio waves have the longest wavelengths of the
electromagnetic spectrum, typically 100 metres (10 3-10-2
metres).
2. Radio waves are used in:
a. radio and television communication

Radio
wave

Transmitter Detector

Radio waves are emitted from a transmitter aerial when


an alternating voltage is connected to the aerial. The
radio wave emitted has the same frequency as the
alternating voltage.
When these radio waves pass across a receiver aerial,
they cause a tiny alternating voltage of the same
frequency to occur in the aerial.

b. medicine with MRI scanners


Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a type of scan that
uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce
detailed images of the inside of the body.

Micro Waves:
1. Microwaves have wavelengths of typically 10cm (10 -2-10-3
metres).
2. Microwaves are used in;
a. Cooking foods- Microwave oven
b. Mobile phone communication- Microwave transmitter/
receiver used for a mobile phone network.
c. Satellite Television
3. Dangers of Microwaves;
a. Microwaves can cause internal heating of body tissue.
b. Microwave ovens contain metal shielding to prevent the
microwaves from leaking out.
c. Some people believe that, over use of mobile phones can
lead to brain damage.

Infra-red (IR):
1. Infra-red waves have wavelengths of typically a 01 micrometre
(10-3-10-6 metres)
2. They are emitted by all objects. The hotter the object, the more
infra-red radiation is emitted.
3. Infra-red waves are used:
a. to cook food
b. by remote controls
c. in communication systems using optical fibres
d. in night sights
e. in astronomy to see behind gas clouds
4. An infra-red or thermal image.
a. RED colour denotes hot areas
b. BLUE colour denotes cold areas
5. Too much exposure to IR radiation can cause skin burns.

Visible Light:
1. Visible light has wavelengths ranging from 400nm (violet) to
700nm (red).
2. Visible light is emitted from hot objects like Sun & luminous
objects and it consist of 07 colours; Red, Orange, Yellow, Green,
Blue, Indigo, Violet.
3. Sir Isaac Newton discovered that white light can be split up into
above 07 colours and called visible colour spectrum.
4. White light can be split into the colour spectrum using a prism or
with water.
5. Visible light is used;
a. In photography
b. In optical fibres- can be used for communication
c. For sight
d. Used to read CDs and barcodes( from lasers)

Ultraviolet Light (UV):


1. Ultraviolet has a wavelength of typically range of 10 -7-10-8
metres.
2. UV is produced from very hot objects like the Sun or from special
electrical tubes.
3. Most of the Suns ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by the Ozone
layer in the upper part of the Earths atmosphere.
4. UV is also stopped by glasses.
5. Ultraviolet is used in;
a. Fluorescent lamps including energy efficient light bulbs
(CFL/ Tube lights)

b. Security devices
Some chemicals glow, or fluoresce, when exposed to UV
light. This property is used in security makers.
o Ex: Money paper checker
c. Dentistry
d. Pest control
6. Too much exposure to UV can cause blindness and skin cancer.
a. Protective goggles or glasses and skin protective creams
can block UV rays.
X rays:
1. X-rays discovered by Willhelm Roentgon.
2. X rays have a wavelength of typically range of 10 -8-10-10 metres.
3. They are produced from X-ray tubes that use very high voltage
(typically 100 kV).
4. Penetrability is very high and can cause ionization.
5. X-rays are used in;
a. X-ray photographs/ radiography (Medical & Industrial)
b. Airport security/ Real time radiography
c. Cancer treatment
6. Taking an X-ray/ radiograph
a. X-rays pass through soft tissue but are absorbed by bones.
b. X-rays are directed onto the patient from the X-ray tube.
c. A light proof cassette containing a photographic film is
placed on the other side of the patient.

d. A light proof cassette containing a photographic film is


placed on the other side of the patient.
e. When the X-ray tube is switched on, the X-rays pass through
the patients body leaving a shadow image on the film
showing the bones.
f. When the film is developed the parts exposed by the X-rays
are darker than the other parts.
g. The bones show up as lighter regions on the radiograph.

7. Overexposure to x-rays can cause cancer, genetic mutation


(stochastic effect) or skin burns, blindness (Deterministic effect).
a. ALARA principle (Time, Distance, Shielding)

Gamma rays:
1. Gamma rays, like x-rays and only source of origin is different.
2. Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths of the
electromagnetic spectrum typically range of 10-10-10-14 metres.
3. They are emitted by radioactive substances (Ir-192, Co-60, I-131,
Cs-137)
4. Penetrability is very high and can cause ionization.
5. Gamma rays are used;
a. to kill cancer cells
b. to kill harmful bacteria in food
c. to sterilise surgical instruments
d. to industrial radiography

6. Too much exposure to gamma rays is dangerous like x-rays.


a. High doses kill living cells (deterministic effect). Low doses
cause cell mutation and cancerous growth (stochastic
effect).
b. Workers who use equipment producing gamma or X-rays
wear a film badge / TLD cards called a dosimeter. The film in
the badge darkens if the person receives a too high dosage
of radiation.

Check Your Understanding


1) Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:
Infra-red radiation has a _________ wavelength than visible light
and is _________ by all objects. The higher the ___________ of an
object the greater is the amount of IR radiation emitted.
Microwaves have wavelengths of a few ___________ and are used
for ________ and communication.
Radio waves have the longest wavelengths but the ________
frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. Radio waves are
used to study the centre of our _________.
(emitted, lowest, galaxy, cooking, temperature, longer,
centimetres)

2) Choose appropriate words to fill in the gaps below:


Gamma and X-rays are the most _________ radiations of the
electromagnetic spectrum. Both can cause cell _________ and
cancerous growth although both can also be used to treat ________.
Both require several centimetres of ______ to be stopped.
X-rays are absorbed by ______ allowing the production of
radiographs.
Gamma rays are used to kill _________ in food and to _________
medical instruments.
(bones, mutation, cancer, bacteria, lead, dangerous, sterilise)

3) The EM spectrum contains the following groups of waves: IR, UV, X-


rays, Radio waves, Micro waves, Visible spectrum, and Gamma
rays.
a) Put these groups of waves in the order they appear in the EM
spectrum starting with the group that has the longest wave
length.
b) Write down four properties that all of these waves have in
common.
c) Write down one use for each group of waves.
d) Which three groups of waves could cause cancer?
e) Which three groups of waves can be used to communicate?

Communication with Waves:


1. Communication signals may be analogue or digital.
2. Analogue signals vary continuously in amplitude between zero
and some maximum level.
3. Digital signals only have two voltage levels, for example +5V and
0V.

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