Conduction?mktsgm said:What are the factors that determine the property of wave penetration of bodies? For instance we can listen to fm radio from inside the walls of a room. But visible light is unable to penetrate the walls.
Similarly some metals reflect some frequency but absorb some. How atomic orbitals play role in wave penetration?
Seems to me more like transparency / translucency / opacity than conduction (of course, I'm an EE so I think of conduction in a particular way). Glass is transparent to visible light waves, non-metallic walls are transparent to radio waves, etc. WHY things are transparent/opaque is of course still the real question.berkeman said:Conduction?
EDIT -- Conduction as a function of frequency.
Isn't that related to the conduction of the material at the frequency of the incident EM? I certainly could be wrong...phinds said:WHY things are transparent/opaque is of course still the real question.
I actually don't know anything about the conductivity of materials to incident EM waves, just of internal current flow (and that kind of conductivity does vary with frequency), and you certainly could be right.berkeman said:Isn't that related to the conduction of the material at the frequency of the incident EM? I certainly could be wrong...
mktsgm said:What are the factors that determine the property of wave penetration of bodies? For instance we can listen to fm radio from inside the walls of a room. But visible light is unable to penetrate the walls.
Similarly some metals reflect some frequency but absorb some. How atomic orbitals play role in wave penetration?
Electromagnetic waves, or EM waves, are able to penetrate through walls due to their high frequency and short wavelength. These characteristics allow them to pass through small openings and gaps in the material of the wall.
No, not all types of EM waves can penetrate through walls. Some types, such as radio waves, can easily pass through walls, while others like X-rays and gamma rays are absorbed or scattered by the materials in the wall.
The ability of EM waves to penetrate through walls is determined by the frequency and wavelength of the waves, as well as the type and thickness of the material in the wall. Higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths are more likely to penetrate through walls than lower frequencies and longer wavelengths.
There is currently no evidence to suggest that EM waves penetrating through walls pose any health concerns. However, it is recommended to limit exposure to high frequency EM waves, such as X-rays and gamma rays, as they can be harmful to living tissue.
The best way to protect against EM wave penetration through walls is to use materials that are specifically designed to block or reduce the penetration of certain types of EM waves. For example, lead is often used as a shield against X-rays and gamma rays, while metal mesh can block radio waves.