electromagnetic spectrum
All light frequencies
The electromagnetic spectrum is the complete range of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves at the low-frequency end through microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays at the high-frequency end.
All these forms are the same phenomenon—waves of electric and magnetic fields—differing only in wavelength and energy.
The visible spectrum is just a tiny slice of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Low-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- microwavesElectromagnetic waves for cooking
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- visible lightRadiation the eye detects
- ultravioletWavelengths shorter than violet
gamma rays · terahertz · UVA · UVB · UVC · submillimeter · VLF · VHF
Study of light-matter interaction
- radio astronomyAnalyzing cosmic electromagnetic emissions
- telecommunicationsRemote signal transmission technology
- radarRadio-wave object detection
- medical imagingCreating pictures inside bodies
remote sensing · thermal imaging · wireless · broadcasting · satellite · fiber optics · phototherapy · sterilization
Study of charge interactions
- photonsDiscrete packets of radiance
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- amplitudeMaximum oscillation displacement
- Planck's constantQuantum action unit
Process of taking in
- emissionDischarged substance or act
- transmissionSending of information
- reflectionReturned light or thought
- refractionWave bending between media
diffraction · scattering · ionizing · radiant energy · intensity · irradiance · attenuation
Frequency measurement unit
- kilohertzThousand-cycle frequency unit
- megahertzOne million oscillations per second
- gigahertzFrequency unit, billions
- terahertzTrillion hertz unit
oscillation · cycles per second · resonance · tuning · modulation · harmonics · bandwidth
Measures electromagnetic radiation properties
- spectrophotometerLight-measuring analytical instrument
- spectrographWavelength-separating recording instrument
- spectral linesDiscrete wavelength emission patterns
- Fraunhofer linesDark spectral absorption features
Metric unit, billion-fold smaller
- micrometerMillionth of a meter
- angstromSubatomic length unit
- meterDevice that measures usage
- centimeterMetric length unit
millimeter · picometer · short-wave · bandwidth · waveband
radio waves
Low-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- microwavesElectromagnetic waves for cooking
- infraredHeat-bearing electromagnetic waves
- visible lightRadiation the eye detects
ultraviolet · gamma rays · terahertz · UVA · UVB · UVC · submillimeter · VLF · VHF · UHF
spectroscopy
Study of light-matter interaction
- radio astronomyAnalyzing cosmic electromagnetic emissions
- telecommunicationsRemote signal transmission technology
- radarRadio-wave object detection
medical imaging · remote sensing · thermal imaging · wireless · broadcasting · satellite · fiber optics · phototherapy · sterilization · microwave heating
electrodynamics
Study of charge interactions
- photonsDiscrete packets of radiance
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
- amplitudeMaximum oscillation displacement
Planck's constant · speed of light · propagation · dispersion
absorption
Process of taking in
- emissionDischarged substance or act
- transmissionSending of information
- reflectionReturned light or thought
refraction · diffraction · scattering · ionizing · radiant energy · intensity · irradiance · attenuation
hertz
Frequency measurement unit
- kilohertzThousand-cycle frequency unit
- megahertzOne million oscillations per second
- gigahertzFrequency unit, billions
terahertz · oscillation · cycles per second · resonance · tuning · modulation · harmonics · bandwidth
spectrometer
Measures electromagnetic radiation properties
- spectrophotometerLight-measuring analytical instrument
- spectrographWavelength-separating recording instrument
- spectral linesDiscrete wavelength emission patterns
nanometer
Metric unit, billion-fold smaller
- micrometerMillionth of a meter
- angstromSubatomic length unit
- meterDevice that measures usage
centimeter · millimeter · picometer · short-wave · bandwidth · waveband
- televisionTV, television, broadcast, TV shows, TV series
- scientific phrasesbig bang, black hole, natural selection, climate change, genetic code
- Electricity HistoryMichael Faraday, Faraday, Benjamin Franklin, Franklin, Thomas Edison
- electromagnetismelectromagnets, electromagnet, electric current, current, electric charge
- opticslens, lenses, mirror, mirrors, prism
- Spectra
electromagnetic spectrummatter
Space-occupying substance with mass
sound waves · gravitational waves · seismic waves · pressure waves
magnet, electricity, magnetic, spectrum, electronics, magnetism, magnets, electron, magnetize