Unit 2

MODULE

2 Electromagnetic
Spectrum
What is a
Wave?
Wave - a disturbance that
transfers energy.
Waves may be classified as
a. Mechanical wave -a
disturbance in a medium that
carries energy away from the
source of propagation.
b. Electromagnetic (EM)
wave- a disturbance in a field that
carries energy and does not
require a medium to travel.
Both mechanical and EM waves
carry energy but EM waves can
________________
travel in
__________________ while
mechanical
vacuum waves cannot.
 He formulated
The Electromagneticthe (EM) Wave
He contributed He
Electromagnetic
Theory He showed
demonstrated
in developing formulated
He showed
Wave Theory experiment
discovered
the magnetic
equations the
howtheaprinciple
which says that an al evidence
Hertzian
effect based behind
current
oscillatingthe
showing electric of EM
waves waves
which
on the
relationship electro-
of becarrying
current should and
is nowtheir
direction of magnetic
capable of and wireknown
electricity link to light.
as
current. induction.
magnetism.
radiating energy behaves
in radio like
waves.
the
Hans form of EM a Andre
Michael
Christian
Heinrich magnet.
James Clerk
Marie Maxwell
Ampere
The Electric and Magnetic Fields
Together
Accelerating
__________________________ produce
EM electri
waves that are a combination
electrons of
magnetic
_________ and ___________ fields.
c
Both the electric field and the
magnetic perpendicular
field oscillate
to the
_________________ to each other and
_________________ of the propagating
direction
(λ)
EM waves travel in vacuum at
3.0 x 108
a speed of ________________ and
denoted asc ___, the speed of
m/s
light.
The wave speed (v) frequency
(f), and wavelength (λ) are
related by the following
equation:
v = λf
where v = c (in EM waves) = 3.0 x108
m/s.
Frequency (f) - number of
cycles a wave completes in
one second; expressed in
Hertz (Hz).
Since all the EM waves have
the same speed and that is
equal to the speed of light, as
wavelength decreases, the
frequency of the wave
increases.