Electromagnetic Waves

Question 1

What is the definition of an electromagnetic wave?

Answer 1

Transverse waves with oscillating electric and magnetic field components, that do not need a medium to travel through. Electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum.

Question 2

What are the different types of EM waves?

Answer 2

Radio Waves
Microwaves
Infra-Red Waves
Visible Light
Ultraviolet Waves
Xray Waves
Gamma Waves

Question 3

What is the Wavelength of Radio Waves?

Answer 3

> 10 to the power of 6

Question 4

What is the Wavelength of Microwaves?

Answer 4

10 to the power of minus 1

Question 5

What is the Wavelength of Infra-Red Waves?

Answer 5

10 to the power of minus 3

Question 6

What is the Wavelength of Visible light?

Answer 6

ROYGBIV- Order of decreasing from Red to Violet
700nm to 400nm
7x10 to the power of minus 7 (m) to 4x10 to the power of minus7(m)

Question 7

What is the wavelength of Ultraviolet?

Answer 7

4x10 to the power of minus 7

Question 8

What is the Wavelength of X-rays?

Answer 8

10 to the power of minus 8 but in the exam should use 10 to the power of minus 10.

Question 9

What is the possible range of wavelengths of X-rays and Gamma rays overlap?

Answer 9

10 to the power of minus 10 - 10 to the power of minus 13

Question 10

What is the Wavelength of Gamma Rays?

Answer 10

<10 to the power of minus 16
but in the exam use 10 to the power of minus 13

Question 11

How are X-rays produced?

Answer 11

X-rays are emitted by fast-moving electrons.

Question 12

How are Gamma Rays produced?

Answer 12

From unstable atomic nuclei.

Question 13

What are the properties of EM waves?

Answer 13

Like all waves EM waves can be refracted, reflected, diffracted and plane polarised(as they are transverse).
All EM waves travel at the same speed through a vacuum,
3x10 to the power of 8.
Therefore c=f x Wavelength