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Level: Electromagnetic Waves

1. The document provides information and questions about teaching electromagnetic waves at the GCSE level. 2. It outlines two learning outcomes: describing uses of electromagnetic waves and understanding how different substances interact with waves of varying wavelengths. 3. The questions on the second page are meant to be more challenging and help students develop a deeper understanding of electromagnetic waves rather than superficial knowledge.

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Lorraine Calvez Donio
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68 views

Level: Electromagnetic Waves

1. The document provides information and questions about teaching electromagnetic waves at the GCSE level. 2. It outlines two learning outcomes: describing uses of electromagnetic waves and understanding how different substances interact with waves of varying wavelengths. 3. The questions on the second page are meant to be more challenging and help students develop a deeper understanding of electromagnetic waves rather than superficial knowledge.

Uploaded by

Lorraine Calvez Donio
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Topic Electromagnetic Level GCSE (or any course for

waves students aged 11-16)


Outcomes 1. To describe some uses for electromagnetic waves
2. To understand that different substances may absorb,
transmit, refract or reflect electromagnetic waves in ways
that vary with wavelength

Information The first part of the worksheet is suitable to use at the beginning
for teachers of the topic. The questions on page 2 are much more challenging.
Use these questions later on to diagnose whether knowledge of
EM waves has been learnt and understood. These questions will
hopefully help students to make meaning by challenging
superficial thinking.

Electromagnetic waves

Fundamental ideas

1. What is the primary source of Earth’s electromagnetic radiation?


2. What type of waves are electromagnetic waves?
3. Microwaves have a higher frequency than radio waves so why don’t they
travel faster?
4. What speed do electromagnetic waves travel at?
5. Complete the table below on the practical uses of electromagnetic waves.

Practical application Object that uses Region of the EM


the EM spectrum spectrum used

Fire fighters need to be able to see through


Infrared cameras Infrared
smoke to find people and identify hot spots

To sterilise medical equipment used in


N.A.
operations.

Vipers, pythons and boas have holes on


their faces called pit organs, which contain
a membrane that can detect infrared
radiation from warm bodies up to one
metre away.

Microwave

Sun tanning before a holiday

www.thescienceteacher.co.uk | resources for science teachers who like to think


Visible light

TV remote control

X-ray machine

Time to get thinking!

Source: http://invaderxan.pbworks.com/f/1193264846/atmospheric-opacity.jpg

1. If our eyes evolved to ‘see’ radio waves would they be bigger or smaller
than our eyes today? Explain your answer.
2. Why are the only two types of telescope on Earth using radio waves and
visible light?
3. Why do you think our eyes evolved to see visible light and not other
regions of the electromagnetic spectrum?
4. “The electromagnetic spectrum is just light that you cannot see.” Do you
agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your answer.
5. Why can’t our watery eyes see IR radiation?
6. Why was life restricted to the ocean before the ozone layer was formed
600 million years ago?
7. Radio and gamma waves can travel through brick walls. Why can’t visible
light travel through a brick wall?

www.thescienceteacher.co.uk | resources for science teachers who like to think

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