Kunsophannaro
Kang 3/25/13
Miss. Alexandria
Honors Fundamentals of Science 1B

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

All devices have electromagnetic waves; radios and microwaves are all examples. These devices are also part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Electromagnetic waves can also travel through a vacuum. This means they do not require a medium. Since these waves can travel in space their speed is referred to as the speed of light. The speed of light is 300,000 km/s. As of right now nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. The spectrum also has tiny masses of radiation called photons and there is also potential energy. The electromagnetic spectrum is divided into six parts. They are radio waves, microwaves, infrared waves, visible light, uv rays, x-rays, and gamma rays. The spectrum is a model that shows the range all visible and invisible electromagnetic waves. The spectrum has a wavelength and a frequency. At the beginning of the spectrum it has the longest wavelength but with a lowest frequency. At the end of the spectrum it has the shortest wavelength but highest frequency. All around us there are radio waves. If we look closely we still cannot see them because the waves are converted to sound waves. Microwaves are also radio waves. Microwaves vibrate the electromagnetic field to cause friction, which causes heat, and so it heats up the water molecules to cook. Microwaves have a wavelength less than 30cm. An infrared wave is heat that was transmitted to us by infrared waves. For example hotter objects have more infrared than cooler ones. The color for infrared is red, orange, and