TITLE/TOPICS

ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE THEORY

STANDARDS
Content Standard:
The learners demonstrate an understanding of the different regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum
Performance Standard:
From learning the basics of forces in Grade 8, learners extend their
understanding of forces by describing how balanced and unbalanced forces, either by
solids or liquids, affect the movement, balance, and stability of objects.

Learning Objective:
⚫ At the end of the lesson, I should be able to:
1. compare the relative frequencies of different forms of
electromagnetic waves;
2. identify the relationship among wavelength, frequency and energy
of an electromagnetic wave.
Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC):
⚫ Compare the relative wavelengths of different forms of
electromagnetic waves

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
To do well in this module, you need to remember and do the following:
1. Answer all the exercises and process questions completely.
2. Study the explanation well.
3. Supplement yourself with other learning materials when available
and necessary.
4. Write down your thoughts to help to process information.
5. Keep in mind that your success in this module depends on how
much effort you put into doing the activities in this module. Have
fun!
MAP OF CONCEPTUAL CHANGE
What is electromagnetic wave?
What I know? What I want to know? What I’ve Learned?

Going through this module can be a meaningful learning experience. All you
need to do is make use of your time and resources efficiently. To do this, here are
some tips for you:

1. Take the pretest before reading the rest of the module.

2. Take time in reading and understanding the lesson. Follow instructions
carefully. Do all activities diligently. This module is designed for independent
or self-paced study. It is better to be slow but sure than to hurry and miss the
concepts you are supposed to learn.
3. Use a clean sheet of paper for your answers in each activity/ assessment.
Don’t forget to write your name. Label it properly.
4. Try to recall and connect the ideas about waves that you had in the lower
years. Use the concept discussed in the lesson to explain the results of activities
or performance tasks. You may answer in English or a combination of your
vernacular and English.
5. Be honest. When doing the activities, record only what you have really
observed. Take the self-assessments after each activity, but do not turn to the
Answer Key page unless you are done with the entire module.
6. Don’t hesitate to ask. If you need to clarify something, approach or contact
your teacher or any knowledgeable person available to help you. You may also
look into other references for further information. There is a list of reference
at the back part of this module.
LESSON/CONTENT

You have learned about waves during your Science 7 class. Let’s recall some
important terms about waves. Below are descriptions of different terms relating to
waves and the jumbled letters which will form the correct term. Your task is to
rearrange the jumbled letters to form the term being described. Do this on a separate
sheet of paper.

When you move your hands up and down while holding one end of the rope, you
create wave on the rope. The waves you created may look different depending on how
fast you move your hand. Similarly, if you move an electrically charged object back
and forth in an empty space, you’ll create electromagnetic waves in space. But what is
an electromagnetic wave?

Electromagnetic wave (EM wave) or electromagnetic radiation is a wave that is

created as a result of vibrations between an electric field and magnetic field, hence
known as ‘electromagnetic wave’. Recall Oersted’s discovery: A changing electric
field produces magnetic field. A changing magnetic field is therefore produced around
a vibrating charge. And according to Michael Faraday, the changing magnetic field
will produce electric field. A wave carries energy as it propagates, EM wave does the
same, too. EM waves can travel through anything even on vacuum, meaning they do
not need any medium to travel. They travel in a vacuum at a speed of 3x108 m/s.

Heinrich Hertz, a German physicist, used and verified

Maxwell’s Theories to understand the production,
generation and reception of radio waves. The frequency of
a radio wave is expressed in a unit one cycle per second,
which mean the number of waves that pass a given point
in one second. It is equivalent to a unit Hertz (Hz), in
honor of Heinrich
Hertz. The discovery
of the existence of
radio waves in the late
1880s was one of his significant
contributions.
James Clerk Maxwell, an English scientist, developed a scientific theory that
explains electromagnetic waves. He noticed that electrical fields and magnetic fields
that propagate in space combined together to form electromagnetic waves. Maxwell
discovered that a changing magnetic field induced a changing electric field or vice
versa.

Electromagnetic wave (EM wave) or electromagnetic radiation is a wave that is

created as a result of vibrations between an electric field and magnetic field, hence
known as ‘electromagnetic wave’. Recall Oersted’s discovery: A changing electric
field produces magnetic field. A changing magnetic field is therefore produced around
a vibrating charge. And according to Michael Faraday, the changing magnetic field
will produce electric field. A wave carries energy as it propagates, EM wave does the
same, too. EM waves can travel through anything even on vacuum, meaning they do
not need any medium to travel. They travel in a vacuum at a speed of 3x108 m/s.

There are seven different types of EM waves. They are arranged in a gradual
progression from the waves of lowest frequency to highest frequency. This
arrangement of EM waves is called electromagnetic spectrum. In order of increasing
frequency, the EM spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light,
ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma ray.

Now let’s strengthen your concepts regarding the different EM waves by comparing
their relative wavelengths and frequencies. And as you move along, discover some
characteristics of EM waves. So if you’re ready to ride the waves, answer the
following enrichment activities and dive into the world of EM waves. Have fun!

FIRM UP
Enrichment Activity 1
Wavelength is the distance between crest to crest or trough to trough. EM waves are bounded
at different ranges. Meaning each type of EM waves has upper and lower limits on the
spectrum. Using Figure 1, determine the wavelength ranges of each of the forms of
electromagnetic waves. On a separate sheet of paper, copy and answer the given table on page
13. Afterwards answer the questions that follow.
Q1. Which electromagnetic wave has the longest wavelength?
___________________________________________________________________
Q2. Which electromagnetic wave has the shortest wavelength?
___________________________________________________________________
Q3. Observe what happens to the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves as they
progress (goes rightward from the figure). Does the wavelength of the EM wave
increase or decrease as we go from radio wave to gamma ray?
____________________________________________________________________

Directions: Read each item carefully. Write only the letter of your choice. Use
a separate sheet of paper for your answers.
1. This type of wave was discovered by famous astronomer Sir Frederick William
Herschel and has a range of 7x10-7 m – 1x10-3 m.
a. infrared
b. microwave
c. radio wave
d. visible light
2. Which of the following electromagnetic waves has the least wavelength range?
a. infrared (7x10-7 m – 1x10-3 m)
b. x-ray (1 x10-11 m – 1 x10-8 m)
c. visible light (6.22 x10-7 m – 4.55 x10-7 m)
d. ultraviolet (1x10-8 m – 4x10-7 m)
3. Which among the following EM waves has the longest wavelength?
a. infrared
b. ultraviolet
c. visible light
d. x-ray
4. Which electromagnetic wave can travel the farthest distances because it has a
wavelength range of greater than 1x10-1 m?
a. gamma ray
b. microwave
c. radio wave
d. x-ray
5. The wavelength of microwaves ranges from 1x10-1 m to 1x10-3 m. Which of the
following has size comparable to the wavelength of microwave?
a. Bacteria
b. Coin
c. Human
d. Pin
Q1. Which among the EM waves has the highest frequency?
_____________________________________________________________________
Q2. Which among the EM waves has the lowest frequency?
_____________________________________________________________________
Q3. The energy of an EM wave also depends on its frequency, which means waves
with higher frequency has higher energy too. Which among the EM waves has the
highest energy?
____________________________________________________________________
Q4. Which among the EM waves has the lowest energy?
____________________________________________________________________
Q5. What happens to the frequency of the electromagnetic waves as it progresses?
Does the frequency of the EM waves increase or decrease as we go from radio wave
to gamma ray?
_____________________________________________________________________

At this point, let’s sum up what you have learned. Pick out the word that will make
the statements correct. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper. The
electromagnetic spectrum is the arrangement of

1. (electromagnetic waves, ultraviolet radiation), which are waves that are created
with changing electric field and
2. (electric charge, magnetic field). EM waves travel on
3. (air, vacuum) at a constant speed of
4. (3 x108 m/s, 8 x103 m/s). The electromagnetic spectrum is arranged in a manner of
5. (decreasing, increasing) wavelength,
6. (decreasing, increasing) frequency and
7. (decreasing, increasing) energy.
8. (Gamma ray, Radio wave) has the longest wavelength, lowest frequency and lowest
energy among all EM waves. The
9. (radio wave, visible light) is the only EM wave that can be seen by our naked
eye, whereas
10. (red, violet) has the longest wavelength and
11. (red, violet) has the greatest frequency. On the other hand,
12. (gamma ray, radio wave) has the shortest wavelength and highest frequency;
which carries the highest
13. (energy, wavelength) among all EM waves. Therefore
14. (gamma ray, radio wave) has the lowest ionizing radiation, while
15. (gamma ray, radio wave) has the highest ionizing radiation.

DEEPEN
INTEGRATION OF FAITH, VALUES, AND LEARNING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z_SMrnEiaI&t=81s
Ezekial 36:25-26; "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will
cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new
heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give
you a heart of flesh."
https://www.pulse.ng/communities/religion/sin-wash-away-your-wrongdoings-with-
these-7-bible-verses/19jeswj

ASSESSMENT
Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate
sheet of paper.
1. He theorized that changing magnetic field will produce electric field.
a. Faraday
b. Hertz
c. Maxwell
d. Oersted
2. Electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum. What is the speed of an
electromagnetic wave in a vacuum?
a. 3 x 108 m/s
b. 3 x 108 m/s2
c. 3 x 109 m/s
d. 3 x 109 m/s2
3. Which property spells the difference between radio wave and microwave
radiation?
a. amplitude
b. color
c. speed in vacuum
d. wavelength
4. Which two waves lie at the beginning and end of the electromagnetic spectrum?
a. gamma ray and X-ray
b. microwave and ultraviolet rays
c. radio wave and gamma ray
d. radio waves and microwaves
5.What is the frequency range of ultraviolet radiation?
a. 3.5x109 – 3x1011 Hz
b. 3.5x1011 – 3x1014 Hz
c. 7.5x1014 – 3x1016 Hz
d. 7.5x1016 – 3x1019 Hz
6. Visible light is the only EM wave that can be seen by our naked eye. What is the
color of light if it has a frequency of 4.5 x1014 Hz?
a. blue
b. green
c. red
d. yellow
7. Which of the following is correctly arranged from longest to shortest wavelength?
a. gamma ray, radio wave, infrared
b. microwave, x-ray, gamma ray
c. ultraviolet, visible light, radio wave
d. x-ray, gamma ray, ultraviolet
8. Which type of EM wave has wavelength similar to the size of a 1 Peso coin?
a. infrared
b. microwave
c. ultraviolet
d. visible light
9. Which electromagnetic wave can travel the least distances because it has a
wavelength range of less than 1x10-11 meters but has the highest energy?
a. gamma ray
b. microwave
c. radio wave
d. x-ray
10. In the electromagnetic spectrum, which has the longest wavelength?
a. gamma ray
b. radio wave
c. ultraviolet
d. visible light

REFERENCES:
Bharucha E. 2017, “Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses,” accessed
on May 21, 2020, at https://www.smartprep.in
Castillo, A. L. and Otoma, s. 2013, “Status of Solid Waste Management in the
Philippines” University of Kitakyushu, Japan. Accessed on May 21, 2020, at
jstage.jst.go.jp
Miller, G. T. 2012, “Environmental Science 13th Edition,” accessed on May 21,
2020, at https://epdf.pub
Senate of the Philippines 2017, “Philippine Solid Wastes at a Glance,” accessed on
May 29, 2020, at senate.gov.ph
“Waste Generation and Management,” accessed on May 21, 2020, at eea.europa.eu