Frequency and penetrating power

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SUMMARY

The relationship between the frequency and penetrating power of electromagnetic (EM) waves is defined by their wavelengths. Longer wavelengths penetrate further into materials, while higher frequency waves, such as X-rays, exhibit greater penetrating power due to their higher energy and momentum. At lower frequencies, EM waves primarily interact with free electrons, leading to the skin effect, where penetration depth is inversely proportional to frequency. In contrast, at very high frequencies, the particle nature of EM waves becomes significant, allowing photons to penetrate deeper into materials according to quantum physics principles.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of electromagnetic wave properties
  • Familiarity with Maxwell's equations
  • Knowledge of quantum physics and photon behavior
  • Concept of skin effect in conductors
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the skin effect in conductors at various frequencies
  • Explore the principles of particle-wave duality in EM radiation
  • Study the interaction of X-rays with different materials
  • Learn about the quantum mechanics of photon interactions
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, electrical engineers, and anyone interested in the properties of electromagnetic waves and their applications in fields such as medical imaging and materials science.

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How are penetrating power of a EM wave and its frequency related?
 
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What have you done to find the answer to this? And what part didn't you understand?
 
ElmorshedyDr said:
How are penetrating power of a EM wave and its frequency related?

Longer wavelengths penetrate further; it is a fundamental property of waves.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
What have you done to find the answer to this? And what part didn't you understand?
I know that waves of higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths have higher penetration power, I know the fact but I don't know the reason, I'm not even sure whether the fact is right or wrong
 
Last edited:
UltrafastPED said:
Longer wavelengths penetrate further; it is a fundamental property of waves.
Then why it always said that high frequency waves have high penetrating power just as x rays ??
Can you please explain how EM waves' wavelengths governs its absorption, reflection and penetration ??
 
UltrafastPED said:
Longer wavelengths penetrate further; it is a fundamental property of waves.

I'm pretty sure high-energy EM radiation doesn't follow this property.
 
There is the particle-wave duality.

At lower frequencies (say no more than afew Ghz) the EM-wave acts mainly as wave according to Maxwell's equations , interacts mainly with the free electrons of the matter and a well known phenomenon knows as skin effect arises where the EM-wave's electric field and the induced current density exist mainly in a very thin layer near the surface of the conductor. The depth of this thin layer is inversely proportional to the frequency of the EM wave.

At very high frequencies (afew hundred Ghz and further into the Thz realm) the particle nature of the EM-wave becomes predominant and the particles of the EM-wave known as photons interact in general with all the particles of the matter according to the laws of quantum physics. The higher the frequency of the EM wave, the more energy and momentum the photons have , thus the further into the material they can penetrate.
 

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