Electromagnetic Waves

The waves are defined as the disturbance through any medium of substance. The electromagnetic waves
are the waves which are generated bycoupling of magnetic field with electric field. These waves are in
perpendicular direction to both the electric and magnetic and also perpendicular to each other. These are
first studied by James Clerk Maxwell and Heinrich Hertz. Maxwell discovered that changing electric field
induced magnetic field and also vice-versa. These waves are existed due to change in these fields. These
are continued till it is not absorbed by matter.
The German physicist Hertz used the theory of Maxwell for the radio waves and gives the unit of
frequency. He showed all the properties of the electromagnetic waves as these waves do not required
any medium for their movement. Here we are discussing all about these waves, transmission, their
generation process, and their properties.

What are Electromagnetic Waves?

Let us consider an Electromagnetic field. When there is a periodic disturbance in the electric and
magnetic fields, we are able to see this Electromagnetic wave. These waves have a frequency that
comes in the range of electromagnetic spectrum.

An Electromagnetic spectrum is the spectrum containing all possible range of frequencies coming in the
electromagnetic wave. These waves do not need the medium for their Propagation. These waves can be
polarized and are transverse in nature. Medium is not required for their propagation.
Example: Radio waves, Light waves, thermal radiation, X ray etc.

Electromagnetic Waves Definition

These waves were discovered by famous physicist James Maxwell. They can be defined as "When
electric and magnetic fields fluctuate together they lead to formation of the propagating waves
called Electromagnetic waves."

Properties of Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic radiations are basically streams of photons. It is a transverse wave. In a transverse wave
the medium has particles that vibrate in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the propagation of
wave.
The various properties of Electromagnetic waves are:
1. The Velocity of electromagnetic wave in vacuum is 3 108 m / s.
2. The existence of medium is not essential for propagation.
3. In vacuum, E.M waves travel with light velocity.
4. E.M waves can be polarized.
5. E.M waves are transverse in nature.
6. E.M waves have momentum.
7. There is no deflection on account of magnetic or electric field.
8. They can exhibit diffraction and interference.

Examples of Electromagnetic Waves

Radio waves, Light waves, thermal radiation, X ray, visible light, microwave, infrared, gamma rays etc. are
the example of electromagnetic waves. These waves together form the electromagnetic spectrum.

Speed of Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic waves can have a wave or particle nature. When wave it is characterized by frequency
and wavelength.In vacuum the waves travel with a speed of light = 3 108 m/s. If a medium is
considered then it would depend upon the refractive index of the medium.

Electromagnetic Spectrum
The Electromagnetic spectrum consists of all the possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiations.

The electromagnetic spectrum starts from radio waves and goes beyond the gamma rays. It is very vast
range of frequencies.

Electromagnetic Spectrum Waves

EM spectrum consists of different types of waves with different wavelength and frequencies. The
wavelength and the frequency of the wave are inversely proportional to each other. The following are the
types of Electromagnetic Waves in the spectrum:
1. Radio Waves
2. Micro Waves
3. Infrared Rays
4. Visible Light
5. Ultraviolet
6. X rays
7. Gamma Rays

Types of Radiation
There are seven types of electromagnetic waves which can be classified as follows:
Radio Waves :

1. These are the waves that are emitted by radio stations, during transmission or by TV stations etc.
they are also emitted by stars.
2. They Can range from few millimeters to large wavelength.
3. They are used by antennas.
4. They are used for data transmission via modulation.
Micro Waves :
1. The waves emitted by the microwave oven, yes they are the microwaves!
2. They are used by astronomers to study the structures of galaxies.
3. They are of two types Super high frequency and extremely high frequency.
4. They are used by Wi-fi.
Infrared Rays :
They are emitted by everything that is warm and hot.
They are of three types viz.
1. Far infrared rays
2. Mid infrared rays
1. Near infrared rays.
2. The wavelength lies between 380 nm to 760 nm
3. They are used in optical fiber communication medium.
Ultraviolet :
1. They are emitted by sun, is harmful for human body. They cause skin burn.
2. They can ionize atoms.
3.
4. Visible Light :

5. These are emitted by everything from a bulb to particle striking other particles. These waves are
detected by human eye. They can cause skin cancer.
3. They cause mutagen
4. They are absorbed by ozone layer mostly.
X rays :
1. They are used by doctors.
2. They can interact with matter.
3. They cause Compton Effect.
They are of two types viz.

Hard ray

Soft X-ray.

Gamma Rays :
1. They are emitted by radioactive substances.
2. They are used in treatment of many diseases.

Do Electromagnetic Waves Need a Medium?

Electromagnetic waves can travel through vacuum.
There are many theories behind this.
1. One says that as the electromagnetic waves are made up of electric and magnetic fields,
oscillating perpendicular to each other and so at the point where they meet they push each other
and hence propagate without any mediums need.
2. Electromagnetic waves possess both wave as well as particle nature and hence can travel
without medium.
Thus the Traveling Electromagnetic Wave do not need medium for propagation.

Transfer of Energy by Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic radiation is the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves. Basically it is the movement
of waves from one place to another. For example: X rays and Gamma rays. In order to transfer energy E.
R act on the particular stuff to cause of initiate the chemical reactions. It can break bonds by exceeding
the activation energy. They can break or make bonds.
For example: the microwave oven transferring energy for making pop corns. Also the light rays causing
the reaction on the retina. The colors and everything else is an example. The energy carried is
called Radiant energy.

Electromagnetic Spectrum Radio Waves

They are given out by transmitters

They are formed as a result of thunder, lightning etc.

They have the lowest frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum.

They are used in communication mostly.

They are of 4 types viz.

1. Long wave
2. Medium wave
3. UHF and
4. VHF.

Much exposure can cause cancer.

They are used by antennas.

They are used for data transmission via modulation.

These are the waves that are emitted by radio stations, during transmission or by TV stations etc.
they are also emitted by stars.

They can range from few millimeters to large wavelength.

They are used in Phones, TV, radio etc.

Is Sound an Electromagnetic Wave?

The radio waves are used to carry the sound waves to the larger distance. It is composed of long radio
waves, AM and FM waves. So, from this a question Is Sound an Electromagnetic Wave could be
positively answered. Yes the sound is electromagnetic waves. In fact, we can say that any radiation of
whatsoever the wavelength it is the part of the EM spectrum.

Energy in Electromagnetic Waves

The Energy in electromagnetic waves are half due to electric field and half due to magnetic field.
Electromagnetic radiation is the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves. Basically it is the movement
of waves from one place to another.
For example: X rays and Gamma Rays.

Electromagnetic Field
Electromagnetic fields are produced by electromagnetic waves. Basically they are produced by every
charge particle that is moving. Now as the waves have a particle as well as the wave nature so this field is
also produced by electromagnetic waves. It is produced in the area surrounding the wave. It is the
fundamental force of nature. Basically the field is produced by electric and magnetic field, by static as well
as moving charges. It is described by Maxwell equations.

Radio Waves
The Radio waves are the very starting point of the EM spectrum. They have wavelength in the range of 1
millimeter to several kilometers. The Radio wave frequency lies between as low as 3 Hz to as high as 300
GHz. The radio waves are generally used in communication systems.

Infrared Rays
The infrared waves are of wavelength well below the visible region of the EM spectrum. The infrared are
not visible to our eye since they are outside the narrow window of the visible frequencies. In other words,
we can say that we are blind for all the spectrum except the visible spectrum.
The heat emitted by the body after the flame extinguishes is an examples of the infrared waves.

Ultraviolet Rays
In the Electromagnetic spectrum the rays having frequencies higher than the violet color of the visible light
and frequency lower than the x rays is termed as the ultraviolet rays.
In terms of wavelength we can define the ultraviolet rays as the rays having wavelength less than the

violet visible light and greater than the x rays. Ultraviolet rays wavelength varies from 10 nanometer to
the 400 nanometer.
Ultraviolet spectrum of the electromagnetic spectrum is basically divided into three parts.
1. Near ultraviolet region
2. Far ultraviolet region
3. Extreme ultraviolet region.
It show three regions are made on the basis of the increasing energy.

Gamma Rays
The gamma rays are discovered by a French chemist and physicist, Paul Ulrich Villard, in 1900.
1. The gamma rays are the high frequency, high energy and shorter wavelength rays.
2. They lie above the X rays in the electromagnetic spectrum and are distinguishable from the X
rays by the source of their origins.
They have too many application in medical sciences and nuclear physics.

X Rays
Wilhelm Roentgen named the rays he discovered as X rays. The X rays belongs to the
electromagnetic spectrum. The X rays extends from the ultraviolet band to gamma rays band. Although
their is very thin line between the X-ray and gamma rays but they are distinguished by the source of their
generation. They have their own applications in medical science in diagnosis.