CHAPTER 16- ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION AND

COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

WAVES
.

generated by forces
that cause vibrations or
oscillations to a system.

..tranfer

energy from one

point to another.

TWO TYPE OF WAVES

MECHANICAL

WAVES
ELECTROMAGNETIC
WAVES

MECHANICAL WAVES
. generated vibrations or
oscillations of particles or object.
example: sound waves
.require a medium to travel in,
travel through solid ( wall ), through
liquid ( water ), through gases
(atmosphere ).
cannot through a vacumm ( outer
space)

Electromagnetic Waves

About Electromagnetic Waves

When you listen to the radio, watch TV, or cook dinner

in a microwave oven, you are using electromagnetic
waves.
Radio waves, television waves, and microwaves are
all types of electromagnetic waves. They differ from
each other in wavelength. Wavelength is the distance
between one wave crest to the next.

Properties of Electromagnetic
Waves
Electromagnetic Wave- A transverse
wave consisting of oscillating electric
and magnetic fields at right angles to
each other
The spectrum includes more than visible
light- not all light is visible to the human
eye
Light is a wave and also a particle

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Electromagnetic waves vary depending on

frequency and wavelength

Properties of the Electromagnetic Spectrum

Waves

in the electromagnetic
spectrum vary in size from very
long radio waves the size of
buildings, to very short
gamma-rays smaller than the
size of the nucleus of an atom.

Properties of the Electromagnetic Spectrum

FREQUENCY is the
number of waves generated
per unit time.
OR

WAVE VELOCITY
distance travel by a wave
per unit time , metres per
second (ms-1), v

number of crest or
troughs passing through a
particular point in one
second.

Unit for frequency,

hertz (Hz), f

Different types of waves

Radio Waves- longest wavelength. AM/FM, TV

Microwaves- 2nd longest wavelength. Radar,
Microwaves
Infrared Waves- 3rd longest wavelength. Infrared
photography, night vision
Visible Light- 4th longest wavelength. Microscope,
astronomy
Ultraviolet Light- 5th longest wavelength. Sterilization
X Rays- 6th longest wavelength. Medical exam of teeth
and bones
Gamma Rays- Shortest wavelength. Used in cancer
treatment and food irradiation

Radio Waves

Radio waves have the longest

wavelengths in the electromagnetic
spectrum. These waves can be longer
than a football field or as short as a
football. Radio waves do more than
just bring music to your radio. They
also carry signals for your television
and cellular phones.

Radio Waves

Objects in space, such as planets and

comets, giant clouds of gas and dust,
and stars and galaxies, emit light at
many different wavelengths. Some of
the light they emit has very large
wavelengths - sometimes as long as a
mile! These long waves are in the
radio region of the electromagnetic
spectrum.

Speed of Electromagnetic Waves

All electromagnetic waves move at the speed

of light
Remember
Speed= wavelength x frequency
Only the wavelength and frequency change
This change decides which type of
electromagnetic wave it is (radio, gamma, etc.)

Speed of Light
The speed of light in a vacuum=
2.99792458 x 108 m/s
The speed of light in air= 2.99709 x 108
m/s
We use 3 x 108 m/s which equates to
300 million meters per second!

Electronic component for radio

RESISTORS