Electromagnetic Spectrum

Question 1

what is the electromagnetic spectrum in order of frequency from highest to lowest?

Answer 1

gamma rays

x-rays

ultraviolet (UV) rays

visible light

infrared radiation

microwaves

radio waves

Question 2

what is the electromagnetic spectrum in order of wavelength from shortest to longest?

Answer 2

gamma rays

x-rays

ultraviolet (UV) rays

visible light

infrared radiation

microwaves

radio waves

Question 3

in the electromagnetic spectrum, the higher the frequency the … the wavelength

Answer 3

in the electromagnetic spectrum, the higher the frequency the shorter​ the wavelength

Question 4

what is the electromagnetic spectrum in order of energy from highest to lowest?

Answer 4

radio waves

microwaves

infrared radiation

visible light

ultraviolet (UV) rays

x-rays

gamma rays

Question 5

what is the electromagnetic spectrum?

Answer 5

a continuous range of wavelengths

Question 6

what do electromagnetic waves form?

Answer 6

a continuous spectrum

Question 7

the types of radiation that occur in different parts of the … have different … and …, which depend on their … and …

Answer 7

the types of radiation that occur in different parts of the spectrum have different uses and dangers, which depend on their wavelength and frequency

Question 8

what is the equation for wave speed?

Answer 8

wave speed (metre per second) = frequency (hertz) × wavelength (metre)

v = f x λ

Question 9

rearrange the the equation for wave speed to make frequency the subject

Answer 9

frequency (hertz) = wave speed (metre per second) ÷ wavelength (metre)

f = v ÷ λ

Question 10

rearrange the the equation for wave speed to make wavelength the subject

Answer 10

wavelength (metre) = wave speed (metre per second) ÷ frequency (hertz)

λ = v ÷ f

Question 11

what types of waves are electromagnetic waves?

Answer 11

transverse

Question 12

what speed do electromagnetic waves travel at?

Answer 12

the speed of light (299 792 458 m/s or 300 000 000m/s)

Question 13

what are three uses of gamma rays?

Answer 13

radiotherapy - to kill cancer cells

sterilising medical equipment by killing all the microbes - this is better than trying to boil plastic instruments, which might be damaged by high temperatures

sterilising food by kiling all the microbes - this keeps the good fresh for longer, without having to freeze it or cook it or preserve it some other way - the food is not radioactive afterwards, so it’s perfectly safe to eat

Question 14

what are three uses of xrays?

Answer 14

to scan bones - X-rays pass easily through flesh but not through denser material like bones or metals

CAT scans

airport scans

Question 15

what are three uses of UV rays?

Answer 15

sun beds

detecting forged bank notes in shops

fluorescent lights - they use UV radiation to emit visible light

Question 16

what are three uses of visible light?

Answer 16

to see (sight)

used to make lasers which are used in CDs, DVDs

laser printers

Question 17

what are three uses of infra red light?

Answer 17

remote controls for television sets and DVD player

security lights

burglar alarms

Question 18

what are three uses of micro-waves?

Answer 18

microwave ovens

mobile phones

speed cameras

Question 19

what are three uses of radio waves?

Answer 19

television

aerial TV

radios

Question 20

what are the dangers of gamma rays?

Answer 20

cause cell damage, causing mutations (which may lead to cancer) and cell death

they cause mutations in growing tissues (which may lead to tissue damage) so unborn babies are especially vulnerable

Question 21

what are the dangers of x-rays?

Answer 21

can cause cell damage causing mutations (which leads to cancer) and cell death

cause severe burns, leukemia, and cataracts

can speed aging, reduce immunity to disease, and bring about disastrous changes in the reproductive cells

Question 22

what are the dangers of UV rays?

Answer 22

sunburn

can cause cell mutation or destruction

skin cancer

eye cataracts

premature ageing of the skin

Question 23

what are the dangers of visible light?

Answer 23

too much light can damage the retina in your eye - blindness

Question 24

what are the dangers of infra red?

Answer 24

causes skin burns

Question 25

what are the dangers of micro-waves

Answer 25

cause internal heating of body tissues cataracts

Question 26

how do microwave ovens work?

Answer 26

microwaves agitate water molecules in food as these water molecules get increasingly agitated they begin to vibrate (kinetic energy) and generate heat (thermal energy) - the food cooks

Question 27

in a microwave oven, the **...** the molecules vibrate, the **...** the food becomes

Answer 27

in a microwave oven, the **faster** the molecules vibrate, the **hotter** the food becomes

Question 28

what are the dangers of radio waves?

Answer 28

very large doses (being overexposed) are believed to cause cancer, leukaemia and other disorders

Question 29

the higher the frequency of an electromagnetic wave, the ... the energy it transfers for a given ...

Answer 29

the higher the frequency of an electromagnetic wave, the **greater** the energy it transfers for a given **amplitude**

Question 30

the higher the frequency of radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum the **...** damage it is likely to cause to the body

Answer 30

the higher the frequency of radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum the **more** damage it is likely to cause to the body

Question 31

list four similarities that all the parts of the electromagnetic spectum share

Answer 31

they can be dangerous they are found in the sun they are transverse waves they can travel through a vacuum

Question 32

what two features of characteristic of one electromagnetic wave makes it different from another electromagnetic wave?

Answer 32

frequency and wavelength

Question 33

what is the potential danger of mobile phones?

Answer 33

microwave radiation is used to transmit signals in mobile phone calls holding a mobile near you head could mean that the water surrounding your brain is being heated which is a huge danger however, the intensity of the microwaves is too low to damage tissues by heating, and microwaves are not ionising

Question 34

Are fluroscent lights more or less energy-effient than filament light bulbs? Where are they used?

Answer 34

Fluroscent lights are more energy-efficient than filament light bulbs they're often used in places (like classrooms and officers) where they'll be needed for long periods

Question 35

What are the colours of visible light in order of longest wavelength?

Question 36

What are the colours of visible light in order of highest freuqency to lowest frequency?

Answer 36

violet indigo blue green yellow orange red

Question 37

How do you remember the colours of visible light (in order of longest wavelength to shortest wavelength)

Answer 37

**R**ichard (red) **O**f (orange) **Y**ork (yellow) **G**ave (green) **B**attle (blue) **I**n (indigo) **V**ain (violet)