Arrange the following:

TMERUCSP

ADATIRION

CORTSMLEEMNGAEIT

YCRFEQNUE

GNHTLEVEWA
 Electromagnetic waves and
the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Learning Competencies

1. Describe how electromagnetic spectrum was

arranged
2. Compare the relative wavelengths, frequencies and
energies of the different regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum
3. Recognize some scientists that paved way for
electromagnetic radiation study
 Some scientists who paved way for
electromagnetic radiation study:
• Thomas Young – double slit interference experiment
provided the first experimental evidence for a wave theory
of light.
• James Clark Maxwell – provided a convincing wave
description of light and of other forms of electromagnetic
radiation. According to him, an electromagnetic wave is an
electrical and magnetic disturbance that moves through
space at the speed of light (c=3.0 𝑥 108 )
• Heinrich Hertz - Showed experimental evidence of
electromagnetic waves and their link to light
 Electromagnetic Wave (a.k.a
electromagnetic radiation)
• When electricity and magnetism change or move together,
they produce a wave known as EM wave.
• EM waves are arranged in an electromagnetic spectrum
based on their frequency (f). Wavelength (λ), and photon
energy (E)
 Mechanical waves Electromagnetic waves
Need a material medium for Do not need any material
propagation medium for propagation; can
travel through a vacuum
Are caused by wave amplitude Are due change in electric and
and not by frequency magnetic fields

Have low speed Have high speed

Ex. sound waves, slinky waves, Ex. radio waves, microwaves,
water waves, jump rope waves infrared waves, light, ultraviolet
radiation, x-rays, and gamma
rays
• Electromagnetic waves travel VERY
FAST – around 300,000,000 meters
per second (the speed of light).

At this speed,
the rays of the
sun take 8
minutes to reach
the Earth.
Properties of electromagnetic waves include
speed, frequency and wavelength. This can be
expressed in a mathematical relationship:

C=fλ
c= 3.0 𝑥 108 wave speed (m/s)
f= frequency (Hertz/Hz)
λ = wavelength (m)
Sample Problem:
• What is the frequency of a red laser beam with a
wavelength of 7.4𝑥10−7 m?
Given: λ = 7.4𝑥10−7 m c = 3.0 𝑥 108 m/s
Unknown: f
Equation: f=c/λ
3.0 𝑥 108 𝑚/𝑠
Solution:
7.4𝑥10−7 𝑚

Answer: f=4.05 Hz
• Electromagnetic Spectrum—name for the range of
electromagnetic waves when placed in order of
increasing frequency
 Notice the wavelength is
long (Radio waves) and gets shorter (Gamma Rays)
 Relationship Between
Wavelength & Frequency
All parts of the electromagnetic spectrum travel
at the same speed
Therefore, wavelength and frequency have an
indirect relationship.
This means that as one characteristic increases,
the other decreases
In other words, as wavelength increases,
frequency decreases
 Wavelength, Frequency, Energy
• Electromagnetic wave characteristics:
– short wavelengths have a high frequency
– long wavelengths have a low frequency

• Electromagnetic waves & Energy:

– high frequency waves have high energy
– low frequency waves have low energy

The Electromagnetic
Spectrum 14
Fill in the table below:

wavelength frequency energy

long

high
1. Low frequency waves have __________.
a. short wavelength and high energy
b. long wavelengths and low energy
2. Which waves have the lowest frequency?
a. Radio waves
b. Visible light
3. Which waves have the shortest wavelength?
a. Infrared rays
b. Gamma rays
4. Microwaves are a type of __________.
a. Radio waves
b. X-rays
5. Waves with higher frequencies have higher energies. Which rays have the highest
energy?
a. Ultraviolet rays
b. Gamma rays
ASSIGNMENT:
A mnemonic device helps you remember important
information in a very creative way. For this lesson, a
sample of such device goes like this: Raul’s Mother Is
Visiting Uncle Xavier’s Garden. The frequencies and
energies increase and wavelengths decrease as you
proceed through the words. Come up with your own
mnemonic device to help you remember the bands of
the EM Spectrum.

Bring tomorrow: Oslo and coloring materials

Reference/s:
• Teacher’s Guide 10 (DepEd)
• Physics Classroom
• www.iop.org>tmparchive>em
• www.paulding.k12.ga.us
• www.andersin5.net>lib
• www.dps61.org
Lesson 2 and 3
EM Spectrum is radiation energy that travels and
spreads out as it goes.
• EM radiation can be described in terms of a stream of
particles, each traveling in a wave-like pattern and
moving at the speed of light.
• Each particle contains a bundle of energy called
photon.
• The only difference between various types of
electromagnetic radiation is the amount of energy
found in the photons.
Practical Uses, Risk and Hazards of EM Spectrum
RADIOWAVES
• Have the longest wavelengths and lowest
frequencies.
• Used to transmit information over long
distances
• A radio picks up radio waves through an
antenna and converts it to sound waves.
Each radio station in an area broadcasts at a
different frequency.
• High frequency waves can be reflected by the
upper layer of the atmosphere. This enables
the waves to be transmitted over great
distances.
MICROWAVES
• have smaller wavelengths than
radio waves and basically have
higher frequency than radiowaves.
• They are used in satellite
communications, radar, television
transmission and cooking.
• used for communication, medicine
and consumer use (microwave
ovens)
• Can cause internal heating of body
tissues
The Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Used in microwave
ovens.
• Waves transfer
energy to the water
in the food causing
them to vibrate
which in turn
transfers energy in
the form of heat to
the food.
 INFRARED WAVES
• Invisible electromagnetic waves
that are detected as heat
• Can be detected with special
devices such as night goggles
• Higher energy than microwaves
but lower than visible light
• Used in heat lamps
• Can cause skin burns

The Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Sir William Herschel
• Discovered in 1800 the existence of infrared by
passing sunlight through a prism. The prism divides it
into rainbow of colors called a spectrum.
• He placed a thermometer just past the red part of the
spectrum in a region where there was no visible light
and found that the temperature there was even
higher.
• He realized that there must be another type of light
which we cannot see and this is Infrared.
The following are some useful applications of IR
radiation:
1. Infrared photographs taken from a satellite with
special films provide useful details of the vegetation on
the Earth’s surface.
2. Infrared scanners are used to show the temperature
variation of the body. This can be used for medical
diagnosis.
3. Infrared remote controls are used in TVs, video,
cassette recorders, and other electronic appliances.
Thermogram—a picture that shows regions of different temperatures
in the body. Temperatures are calculated by the amount of infrared
radiation given off.
•Therefore people give off
infrared rays.

• Credits to the owner of the pictures

 VISIBLE LIGHT
• The portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum that
human eyes can detect
• Used in photography
• ROY G BIV (red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, indigo, violet)
• Which color has the lowest
frequency?
• red has the lowest frequency – violet
the highest

The Electromagnetic
Spectrum
 range of frequencies
are our eyes
sensitive to
𝟒𝒙𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟒 - 𝟕. 𝟓𝒙𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟒

The Electromagnetic
Spectrum 30
ULTRAVIOLET WAVES
• Ultraviolet waves have shorter
wavelengths than the visible light
and carry more energy.
• Used in tanning beds and
sterilizing equipment
• Sun is our main source of
ultraviolet radiation but there are
also artificial sources of UV light
• Can cause skin cancer and
blindness in humans The Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Uses of Ultraviolet Radiation

• Used to kill bacteria. (Sterilization of

equipment)
• Causes your skin to produce vitamin D (good
for teeth and bones)
• UV lamps - used to identify fake banknotes.
 The Electromagnetic

X-RAYS
Spectrum

• Discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen

• High energy waves
• Used in medicine, industry and
astronomy
• They are useful in diagnosing bone
fractures and tumors.
• Bones and teeth absorb x-rays. (The
light part of an x-ray image indicates a
place where the x-ray was absorbed)
• Can cause cancer
33
• Used by engineers to
check for tiny cracks in
structures.
– The rays pass through the
cracks and the cracks
appear dark on film.
GAMMA RAYS
• carry the highest amount of energy,
thus, they are more dangerous.
• Gamma rays are emitted by stars
and some radioactive substances.
• Blocked from Earth’s surface by
atmosphere
• used to treat cancer through the
process called radiotherapy.
• They are also used for sterilization of
drinking water. The Electromagnetic
Spectrum
• Used in radiation treatment to kill cancer cells.
• Can be very harmful if not used correctly.
• Can cause cancer and mutation
 Exploding
nuclear weapons
emit gamma
rays.
Time to Think
• What does ROY G BIV mean? What part of
the electromagnetic spectrum does it refer
to?
• Which color is more energetic, red or
yellow?
• Which type of wave travels faster, gamma
or radio?
• Why are microwaves more dangerous than
radio waves?

The Electromagnetic
Spectrum 39
RISKS AND HAZARDS OF EM SPECTRUM
• Radiation – in general can be defined as the process
of emitting energy by any of the 2 basic carriers: (1)
particles, such as high energy protons, neutrons,
electrons, atoms, and ions; (2) waves, either light or
sound. A common example of radiation is sunlight.
• Radiation is also the energy emitted by an unstable
atoms before it reaches stability.
• can be both natural or manmade
Ionizing Radiation
• An especially damaging form of radiation measured in
millirems.
• Can break apart atoms and molecules, causing severe
damage in living organisms, either by affecting living
tissue directly or by prompting changes in the DNA.
• Most significant forms of ionizing radiation are: X-rays
and Gamma rays
Effects of Radiation to Humans
• Eye and skin damage, skin cancer
• Genetic mutations
• Nausea, fatigue, vomiting, hairloss, diarrhea,
hemorrhage
• Destruction of intestinal lining, internal bleeding
• Destruction to central nervous system, loss of
consciousness
• Death
Most Effective Ways to Protect Against
Radiation

• Limit exposure time

• Increase the distance from the source

• Use shielding (SPF, sun glasses, concrete for

radioactive chemicals)
Bring the following: colored cartolina, cut-out
pictures and marker.
• 1 – Radio waves
• 2 – Microwaves
• 3 – Infrared
• 4 – Visible Light
• 5 – Ultraviolet
• 6 – X-ray
• 7 – Gamma ray
Reference/s:
• Teacher’s Guide 10 (DepEd)
• Physics Classroom
• www.iop.org>tmparchive>em
• www.paulding.k12.ga.us
• www.andersin5.net>lib
• www.dps61.org