SCIENCE REVIEWER

2ND QUARTER

Electromagnetic Waves
LESSON 1: Forms of EM Waves

We are all bounded by electromagnetic waves – Earth is a giant magnet, our body is made of
electromagnetic force that holds our atoms together. We are surrounded by electromagnetic
waves that we cannot see or hear.

Through the year, important innovations in technology, such as wireless technology, software
features, mobile communication, Global Positioning System (GPS), radar, microwave oven, and
many more are made possible because of electromagnetic waves.

Electromagnetic Waves - can travel not only through air and solid materials, but
also through the vacuum of space; form of wave that does not need a medium to propagate and
can be transferred through electric and magnetic field in the vacuum of space.

Waves - a disturbance in a medium that carries energy without a net movement of particles.

2 types of waves:
● Transverse - the particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of the
propagation of the wave.

● Longitudinal - the particles of the medium move parallel to the propagation of the wave.

Parts of Transverse Waves:

● Crest - highest point of the wave
● Trough - lowest point of the wave

Properties of Waves:
● Amplitude - height of the wave; usually measured in meters; directly related to the
amount of energy carried by a wave
 ● Wavelength (λ) - Greek Lambda - distance between identical points in the adjacent
cycle of crest of a wave; measured in meters/nanometers

● Frequency (f or v) - number of waves passing a point in a certain time; the unit of

frequency is hertz (Hz)
➔ v - Greek nu - generally used for the frequency of electromagnetic waves
➔ f - generally used for the frequency of ordinary waves that require a material
medium, such as sound and water waves

● Period - time for a particle on a medium to make one complete vibrational cycle;
measured in units of time
● Speed - speed of an object means how fast an object moves and is usually expressed as
distance traveled per time.

All EM waves, regardless of their wavelength and frequency, travel at the speed of light
(c)=300,000,000 meters per second or (3.0 x 108m/s.)

Wavelengths of EM waves vary depending on the amount of energy carried by the moving
high-energy electron in a form of photons or particles of light.
● High Energy & High Frequency = short wavelength

● Low Energy & Low Frequency = long wavelength

Energy - the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system. (the
ability to do work.

Photons - fundamental subatomic particles that carry the electromagnetic force.

c=fxλ

v = c/λ

λ = c/f
Types of Electromagnetic Waves:
1. Radio Waves
2. MIcrowaves
3. Infrared Waves
4. Visible Light
5. Ultraviolet Light
6. X-rays
7. Gamma Rays
Raul’s Mother Is Visiting Uncle Xavier’s Garden

The different types of EM waves move at about the same speed in air but at different speeds in
other media.

Electromagnetic Spectrum - a frequency classification for EM waves; extends from the longest
wavelengths of radio waves up to the high frequencies of gamma rays.

Band - where each type of wave occupies a particular range

Regions of the Electromagneti Spectrum

● The entire EM spectrum is composed of EM waves that range from the lowest to the
highest frequency or longest to shortest wavelengths. It begins with the longest
wavelength radiation, which are radio waves followed by the microwaves, infrared
radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma rays.
● Ionizing Radiation - higher energy EM waves or particles; high enough energy to pul
electron from orbit
● Non-ionizing Radiation - lower energy EM waves; not enough energy to pull electron
from orbit, but can excite the electron.

Hans Christian Oersted (1820) - a Danish physicist and chemist who discovered that electric
currents create magnetic field, which was the first connection found between electricity and
magnetism.

Michael Faraday (1830) - an English natural philosopher and physicist renowned for his
discovery of the interaction between electricity and magnetism that underlie the principles of
electromagnetic induction and electromagnetic rotation.

The difference between Oersted and Faraday’s experiment

- Oersted demonstrate that a cable carrying an electric current could cause a magnetic
compass needle to move, while Faraday’s demonstrate that the interaction of electricity
and magnetism could cause continuous motion.

James Clerk Maxwell - a Scottish scientist developed a scientific theory to explain

electromagnetic waves; he noticed that electrical field and magnetic field can couple together to
form electromagnetic waves. These form of wave do not need a medium to propagate (to transfer
energy).

LESSON 2: Practical Application of EM Specrum

The effect of EM waves on the matter depends on its frequency and wavelength. Each EM wave
has a distinct characteristic that allow it to have a specific use and application.

Radio Waves - have the longest wavelength in the spectrum which means they carry the lowest
energy; produced by the oscillation in the electrical circuits; can cover longer distances and are
commonly used for communication.

Microwaves - have shorter wavelengths; their wavelength ranges from 1 millimeter to 1 meter;
can pass through the atmosphere which make them and excellent means of satellite
communication.
Infrared Light - the region of wavelengths between microwaves and visible light; not visible to
the human eye but infrared cameras can detect it; has frequencies that are absorbed by chemical
bonds; sometimes called heat or thermal radiation

Visible Light - can be detected by the human eye; violet is the highest frequency light, while red
is the lowest.

Ultraviolet Radiation - have shorter wavelengths than visible light; main radiation that we get
from direct sunlight.

X-ray - has tiny wavelengths that indicate high energy content embedded in its waves; has
ionizing energy, meaning, it can penetrate the electrons from the shell of the atomic structure and
turn them into ions.

Gamma Rays - pertain to the region of the EM spectrum with the smallest wavelength, which
means they have the highest energy compared to all other EM waves; used to sterilize medical
equipment and to kill cancer cells.

LESSON 3: Risks and Hazards of EM Radiation

Effects of Electromagnetic Waves on Living Things and the Environment

Too Much Cell Exposure Can Cause Cell Damage

All EM waves in the spectrum emit radiation.

Radiation - the energy in form of waves or particle emitted, which is transmitted in a vacuum
space.

Exposure to very high levels of radiation can cause acute health effects, such as cancer and
cardiovascular disease. The ionizing radiation has sufficient energy to affect the atoms in living
cells and thereby damages their genetic material (DNA). Fortunately, the cells in our bodies are
extremely efficient at repairing this damage.

Public health is of outmost importance since high exposure to EM radiation can cause alteration
in genetic composition, resulting in a mutation. Because of this, children and adult mortality and
cancer-causing phenomena have spread rapidly, especially those near the high-powered magnetic
fields of radiography and X-ray crystallography machines, cables and telecommunication towers.

The majority of studies focusing on the effects of EM radiation in the environment are centered
on plant growth. Due to EM radiation, pollen ferrtility was reduced, according to the study of
Zaidi and Khatoon (2003). The Worrld Health Organization issued an information sheet on
EMFs and their effects on public health in 2005. It was highly emphasized in the paper that
awareness of any environmental impacts of EMF is important to ensure the preservation of
terrestrial and marine ecosystems, which form the basis for sustainable development.

Protection of the environment and conservation of nature have become matters of great interest
to the public, as well as to governments. Such internet is often expressed as concern over
possible environmental impacts of large technology projects, such as dams, nuclear power plants,
and radio-frequency transmitters. In general, too much exposure to something is harmful, and too
little exposure will also put people at risk. This simply teaches us to utilize gadgets, devices, and
materials with EMFs in moderation and become fully aware of their potential hazards to the
human body cells, organism with cellular structure, and the environment.