- #1
jacket250
- 1
- 0
I just noticed that we tend to call EM wavelengths shorter than visible light "rays" while we call we call those that are longer "waves". Why is that? Did we ever think that "rays" and "waves" were physically different?
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. It includes all types of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves with the longest wavelengths to gamma rays with the shortest wavelengths.
The wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation are measured in meters, and shorter wavelengths correspond to higher frequencies. This means that the higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength. For example, visible light has a higher frequency and shorter wavelength than radio waves.
The energy of electromagnetic radiation is directly proportional to its frequency. This means that shorter wavelengths, which correspond to higher frequencies, have more energy than longer wavelengths. For example, gamma rays have higher frequencies and more energy than radio waves.
Electromagnetic radiation is classified by its wavelength, frequency, and energy. The categories include radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays.
Different types of electromagnetic radiation have different properties and interact with matter in different ways. This makes them useful for different applications. For example, radio waves are used for communication, visible light is used for vision, and X-rays are used for medical imaging.