The electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic spectrum is the term used by scientist to describe the entire range of light that exists. Most of the lights are invisible for us. The electromagnetic waves that we can, the visible light, lays in a range between 400 and 790 terahertz (THz). Through the report we will be talking about six portions of the electromagnetic spectrum that are Radio Waves, Microwaves, Infrared Rays, Ultraviolet Rays, X- Rays and Gamma Rays. Well see some key facts about each one of the six portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The first one will see is the Radio Waves. Heinrich Hertz discovered the radio waves in 1864. Between 1885 and 1889 he did lots of experiments as a physic teacher creating electromagnetic waves and measuring their wavelength and velocity. He managed to show that the nature of their reflection and refraction are the same as those of light. That confirmed the fact that light waves are electromagnetic radiation. Radio waves have a longer wavelength than infrared rays, its frequencies go from 300 GHz to as low as 3 KHz. Like all wave in the electromagnetic spectrum radio waves travel at the speed of light. Radio waves are made by lightning or by astronomical objects. Secondly are the Microwaves. A physicists and mathematician named James Clerk Maxwell. Discovered microwaves in 1864. The applications of the electronic waves were used in radar in the Second World War and the technology was later used for microwave oven. Excitations of microwaves cause many molecules such as water to oscillate and het up, which is how microwaves work.

Infrared rays were discovered in 1800 by Sir Fredrick William Herschel. He decided to investigate the temperatures of each colour of the spectrum produced when sunlight is passed though a prim. In order to this he used three thermometers whose bulbs he blacked out, He then put one bulb directly in the colour and the other two bulbs

past the spectrum to act as controls. Herschel noticed two trends, first that the temperature of the thermometer placed in the colour was greater than the controls. The second trend was a temperature increase from violet to red. Herschel also did anther remarkable observation was when he noticed that the temperature of the region just beyond the red part of the spectrum was an even higher that the red itself. Also he carried out another experiment in which he demonstrated that what is known as infrared radiation can be absorbed, transmitted, reflected and refracted. Infrared light is emitted from all objects at or near room temperature in the form of blackbody radiation.

Johann Ritter discovered the ultraviolet rays in 1801. He was conducting an experiment and he projected a beam of sunlight through a prism and the int split into the spectrum. Ultraviolet rays more known as UV rays are defined as the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between X rays and visible light. Ultraviolet rays are divided into five different sections:

1. Vacuum Uv: 40-190 nm 2. Far UV: 190- 220 nm 3. UVC: 220-290 nm 4. UVB: 290-320 nm 5. UVA: 320- 400 nm Our primary source of UV radiation is the sun. Then there are the artificial sources of UV radiation like, tanning booths, black lights, curing lamps, germicidal lamps, mercury vapor lamps, halogen lamps, etc. The most destructive form of UV is the UVB radiation because it has enough energy to cause photochemical damage to cellular DNA. W.C Roentgen discovered the X rays in 1895, as well he was doing some experiments with tubes and gases and in one of those it made a fluorescent glow. Also called Radiography/ Roentgen rays are a type of radiation called electromagnetic waves. X rays are used for medical uses to create images of inside your body. Those images are presented by different shades of black and white. This is due

the fact that different tissues of your body absorb different amounts of radiation. Calcium in bones absorbs X rays the most, thats why bones look white. Soft tissues like fat absorb less radiation so they look gray. And air absorbs the least thats why lung look black. Paul Villard discovered the gamma rays in 1900. One of the most important facts of Gamma Rays is that it has the smallest wavelengths and the most energy of any other wave in the electromagnetic spectrum. Gamma Rays are generated by radioactive atoms and in nuclear explosions. Doctors use gamma rays to kill cancerous cells due to the fact that gamma rays can kill living cells. Unlike optical light and X rays, gamma rays cant be captured and reflected in mirrors.

Bernarda Vasconez

Bibliography:
http://earthsky.org/space/what-is-the-electromagnetic-spectrum http://www.sparkmuseum.com/BOOK_HERTZ.HTM http://www.brynmawr.edu/chemistry/Chem/mnerzsto/Marshall-Infrared.html http://answers.ask.com/science/physics/who_discovered_microwaves http://hps.org/hpspublications/articles/uv.html http://www.stmary.ws/highschool/physics/uv_1.htm http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/xrays.html http://www.ndted.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Radiography/discoveryxrays.htm http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/gamma.html http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Radiography/discoveryxrays.htm