LECTURE 2.

WAVES
 Is a disturbance that transfer energy from one place to another without
transferring the matter.
Types of waves are…
A. Mechanical waves
- Travels with a medium (matter – solid, liquid, and gas)
B. Electromagnetic waves
- Travels without a medium, thus it travels in a vacuum (empty space)
Types of wave motion are…
A. Transverse wave
- In which the disturbance is perpendicular to the direction of the wave
travels.
- Parts of transverse wave
a. crest – highest point of a wave
b. trough - lowest point of a wave
B. Longitudinal/Compressional wave
- A wave that makes the particles of a
medium move back and forth parallel to
the direction of the wave travels.
- Parts of longitudinal wave
a. compression – where particles are
close together.
b. rarefaction – where particles are spread apart.
Properties of waves are…
 Wavelength is the distance from one point to the corresponding point
on the next wave. (crest to crest, trough to trough) Unit used in
wavelength is meter, m.

In transverse, wavelength is the distance between crest to the next

crest or from trough to the next trough, but in longitudinal, wavelength
 is the distance between compression to the next compression or
rarefaction to the next rarefaction.
 Frequency is the number of wavelengths that pass a point each
second. (measured in hertz, Hz)
(the longer the wavelength, the lower the frequency or vise – versa)
 Amplitude it is the maximum distance a wave varies from its rest
position.
(the more energy a mechanical wave has, the larger the wave’s
amplitude will be)
 Wave speed depends on the type of material/medium, a wave travels.
It is the distance travel per unit of time.
Equation of wave speed… v = λf
where: v – wave speed
λ(lamda) – wavelength
f – frequency

Sample Problem:
1. What is the frequency of radio waves with wavelength of 20 m?
Given: v = c = 3X108 m/s v = c = λf f = 1.5X107 Hz
λ = 20 m f = c/λ
f=? = 3X108 m/s
20m

ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY
Electromagnetic theory is the branch of physics that studies the interaction
between electric and magnetic fields. It explains how electric charges and
currents produce electric and magnetic forces, and how these forces affect
other charges and currents. It also describes how electromagnetic waves,
such as light, radio waves, microwaves, and X-rays, are generated and
propagate through space.
Hans Chrictian Showed how a current carrying wire behave like a
Oersted magnet.
Andre - Marie Demonstrated the magnetic effect based on the
Ampere direction of current.
Michael Faraday Formulated the principle behind electromagnetic
induction.
James Clerk Contributed in developing equations that showed
Maxwell the relationship of electricity and magnetism.
Heinrich Hertz Contributed to developing equations that showed
the relationship of electricity and magnetism.

ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
 All EM waves can travel without a medium, they travel in a vacuum –
an empty space.
 All EM waves transfer energy in using radiation.
 All EM waves travels at a constant speed which is equal to the speed
of light with a constant value of 3 x 108 m/s.
 EM waves are disturbances in a field rather than in a medium.
 EM waves have electric field that travels perpendicular with the
magnetic field. (EM waves are transverse wave)
 EM waves form when moving charged particles transfer energy
through a field.
 Most of EM waves are invisible to our naked eyes but detectable. (only
visible light is visible to humans)
 It includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet
rays, X rays, and Gamma rays.

Types of EM Waves
Radio/TV waves: It has the longest wavelength and lowest frequencies in
the EM spectrum. They can be produced by making electrons vibrate in an
antenna and are used to transmit sound and picture information over long
distance.
Microwave: These are radio waves of very short wavelength. They are used
in satellite communications, RADAR, television transmission and cooking.
Infrared: Lies beyond red end of visible light. It is emitted by all objects. The
amount and wavelength of radiation depend on temperature. Below 500 0C,
an object emits only infrared radiation. Above 500 0C, an object glows and
emits both infrared and some visible light.
Visible: Our eyes detect visible light also known as LIGHT waves. White
light constitutes of 7 different colors that can be seen when white light
passes through a prism such as: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,
and violet.
Ultraviolet: UV waves are invisible radiation that can lie beyond the violet
end of visible spectrum. Has a shorter wavelength than violet light and
carries more energy. Ultraviolet radiation is emitted by the Sun and are the
reason skin tans and burns. "Hot" objects in space emit UV radiation as
well.
X-ray: Have short wavelength and high frequencies and are very
penetrating. It produced by rapid acceleration of electrons in X ray machines
that collide with atoms. These atoms emit X rays. A dentist uses X-rays to
image your teeth, and airport security uses them to see through your bag.
Hot gases in the Universe also emit X-rays.
Gamma ray: Are high – energy waves produced from nuclear reactions.
They have shorter wavelengths than X rays because energy changes within
the nucleus are normally much larger than those that take place outside it.
Doctors use gamma-ray imaging to see inside your body. The biggest
gamma-ray generator of all is the Universe.

ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
 Is a continuum or series of electromagnetic waves arranged according
to frequency and wavelength.
Relationship between Wavelength, Frequency and Energy:
 Longer wavelengths produce lower frequencies because all
electromagnetic radiation travels at the same speed. Types of
electromagnetic radiation with higher frequencies, and thus shorter
wavelengths, deliver more energy when they strike an object.

Diagram Source: Lawrence Berkeley Lab website

Name: G10 – Score:
Teacher: Date:

Activity 2.3
 The Electromagnetic
Spectrum

Component parts of the Electromagnetic Spectrum

1. What are the seven listed types of electromagnetic radiation (EM
radiation)? List them from left to right.

Develop a Mnemonic:
2. A mnemonic is something that helps you to remember something. For
example, the order of colors of visible light can be remembered with the
name ROY G. BIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). Invent
a mnemonic to remember the order of the electromagnetic spectrum: radio,
microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays.

Wavelength range for Electromagnetic Waves

3. What are the units of wavelength used? List them in the chart below:

4. State what type of wave has a one-meter wavelength (1 x 10o = 1.0 m).
_______________.
5. Locate the following wavelengths and indicate the type of electromagnetic
radiation associated with these wavelengths. Convert the wavelengths to
meters.
Wavelength in nanometers Type of Electromagnetic
Radiation
10,000,000,000 nm = 1.0 x 101 m
10,000,000 nm = ______________m
10,000 nm = ______________m
600 nm = _________________m
 27 nm = _________________m
1 nm = _________________m
0.01 nm = ________________m

6. Which electromagnetic wave type has the longest wavelength?

______________________
7. Which electromagnetic wave type has the shortest wavelength?
_____________________
8. Which has the longest wavelength: (encircle your answer)
 Radio waves or x-rays?

 Infrared or Visible light?

 Microwaves or Ultraviolet?

 Gamma rays or x-rays?

Frequency and Electromagnetic Waves

9. What are the unit choices for frequency? List them in the chart below:

**AM radio stations broadcast at a frequency of kilohertz and FM radio

broadcast at a frequency of megahertz.
10. DZBB is a favourite Metro Manila AM radio station. The frequency of
the station is 594 kilohertz with a wavelength of
________________meters.
11. Wish107.5 is a favourite Metro Manila FM radio station. The
frequency of the station is 107.5 megahertz with a wavelength of
______________ meters.
12. Which radio station has the longest wavelength? ______________
(AM or FM)
13. Are they both radio waves according to the Electromagnetic
Spectrum? _______________
14. Which end of the Electromagnetic spectrum has the largest
frequencies? ______________________ (Left side or Right Side). Is this
the same end that has the longest wavelengths? ___________ ( YES or
NO).
 15. Which color has the longest wavelength? _____________ Highest
frequency? ________________.
16. Which type of radiation: ultraviolet or infrared, has higher
frequencies? ________________ Which type of radiation is more
dangerous? _______________ What is the frequency range of UV light?
_______________ Of Infrared light?___________________
17. Why do waves with frequencies higher than visible light hurt us while
those with lower frequencies do not affect us?

Energy and Electromagnetic Waves

18. What are the two units of energy used in the Electromagnetic
Spectrum? List them in the chart below.

19. Arrange the energy units from largest to smallest in value.

Largest = ___________________________
Smallest = __________________________
20. Which type of wave has the most energy? ____________.
21. Which type of wave has the least energy?
______________________. Which visible color has the most amount of
energy? _______________. Which color has the least amount of energy?
_________________.
22. How does the energy of the different waves of the spectrum vary with
frequency? ______________ With wavelength? ________________
23. What type of wave is it? From the following clues determine the wave
type and circle one item that relates to what this person is doing or being
exposed to?
Wave Fact/Data Wave Type Person's Activity
(Encircle one for each row)
0.908 nm wavelength (Dental Exam) (Watching TV)
(Listening to radio) (Tanning)
(Cooking)
 32 GHz frequency (Dental Exam) (Watching TV)
(Listening to radio) (Tanning)
(Cooking)
10.8 meters (Dental Exam) (Watching TV)
wavelength (Listening to radio) (Tanning)
(Cooking)
6.28 x 10-18 joules of (Dental Exam) (Watching TV)
energy (Listening to radio) (Tanning)
(Cooking)
23,808 GHz frequency (Dental Exam) (Watching TV)
(Listening to radio) (Tanning)
(Cooking)

24. If you are use night-vision goggles, what part of the spectrum are you
detecting? ________________

25. What do all types of electromagnetic radiation have in common?

_____________________ How are the types of electromagnetic radiation
different? ___________________________