Long Waves to Short Waves

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This diagram shows six electromagnetic waves. Each wave corresponds with a colour within the visible spectrum that an observer might recognise.


Remember that:

Description

Long Waves to Short Waves

TRY SOME QUICK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO GET STARTED
The unit used to measure wavelength is the metre. Because the size of electromagnetic waves varies, different prefixes are used to aid measurement. Here are six examples: kilometre, centimetre, millimetre, micrometre, nanometre and picometre.
The frequency of a given electromagnetic wave can be calculated by dividing the speed of light in a vacuum (300,000,000 m/s) by its wavelength measured in metres.
Blue and violet are two of the colours in the visible spectrum with the shortest wavelengths.

About the diagram

About the diagram

This diagram shows six electromagnetic waves. Each wave corresponds with a colour within the visible spectrum that an observer might recognize.

Remember that:
  • Electromagnetic waves, which are a form of electromagnetic radiation, propagating from a light source, travel through space and encounter different materials.
  • Colour is not a property of electromagnetic radiation, but an aspect of visual perception.
  • A human observer can distinguish between colours corresponding with many thousands of wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum. These colours are often called spectral colours.
  • The largest part of the electromagnetic spectrum is outside the wavelengths of visible light and so invisible to a human observer.
  • Beyond red are infrared, microwaves and radio waves for example. Some radio waves have a wavelength longer than a kilometre (1000 metres).
  • Beyond violet are ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays for example. Some gamma rays have a wavelength of one billionth part of a metre.
  • There are no properties of electromagnetic radiation that distinguish visible light from other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
  • Objects appear to be different colours to an observer depending on the wavelengths, frequencies and amplitude of visible light at the moment it strikes the retina at the back of the eye.

Some key terms

Electromagnetic wave

An electromagnetic wave carries electromagnetic radiation. An electromagnetic wave is formed as electromagnetic radiation propagates from a light source, travels ...

Electromagnetic spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum includes electromagnetic waves with all possible wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, ranging from low energy radio waves through ...

Visible spectrum

The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum is called the visible spectrum. The visible spectrum is the range of wavelengths ...

Wavelength

Wavelength is a measurement from any point on the path of a wave to the same point on its next ...

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