Are ELF Waves the Lowest Frequency Electromagnetic Waves?

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SUMMARY

ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) waves are defined within the range of 3-30 Hz, but they are not the lowest frequency electromagnetic waves known. There is no theoretical lower limit to electromagnetic wave frequency, as demonstrated by the ability to generate EM waves through simple actions like brushing hair with a comb. However, using such low frequencies for communication is impractical due to the requirement of extremely long antennas and poor bandwidth.

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  • Understanding of electromagnetic wave theory
  • Knowledge of frequency ranges (e.g., ELF, HF, VHF)
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  • Basic physics concepts related to wave generation
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ELF waves are defined by some sources a 3-30HZ. Are these the lowest frequency Electromagnetic Waves we know of?

What is the lowest possible frequency/maximum wave length?
 
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No. There is no theoretical lower limit to electromagnetic wave frequency. Grab a comb, brush it through your hair to get electrically charged, now wave it around. You've just made EM waves.

Of course, in practice, you would never use such low frequencies for communication because you'd need antennas thousands of miles in length to get decent output power, and even then you would get lousy bandwidth.

The radio frequency ranges you read about (HF, VHF, etc.) are set entirely arbitrarily. Don't lose sleep over it.
 

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