Electro

magnetic
waves
ELECTROMAGNE
TIC WAVES
- also called as
electromagnetic radiation
- are waves created as a
result of vibrations
between an electric field
and a magnetic field.
Electromagnetic waves are formed when an electric field
comes in contact with a magnetic field.

The electric field and magnetic field of

an electromagnetic wave are
perpendicular (at right angles) to each
other.
They are also perpendicular to the
direction of the EM wave.
 EM waves travel with a constant
velocity of (3.0 x 108 m/s)

They are deflected neither by the electric field,

nor by the magnetic field but they are capable
of showing interference or diffraction.

An electromagnetic wave can

travel through anything - be it
air, a solid material or vacuum.
It does not need a medium to
propagate or travel from one
place to another
Unlike mechanical waves
(like sound waves or
water waves) need a
medium to travel.

EM waves are 'transverse' waves

which are measured by their
amplitude (height) and wavelength
(distance between the highest/lowest
points of two consecutive waves)
 The highest point of
a wave is known as
'crest', whereas the
lowest point is
known as 'trough'.

Electromagnetic waves can be split

into a range of frequencies known
as the electromagnetic spectrum.
Examples of EM waves are radio
waves, microwaves, infrared waves,
X-rays, gamma rays, etc.
Electromagnetic theory
1820 – He discovered accidentally that magnetic
needle is deflected when the current in a nearby
wire varies – a phenomenon establishing a
relationship between electricity and magnetism.
- He performed a series of experiments to
elucidate the exact nature of the relationship
between electric current flow and magnetism, as
well as the relationship governing the behavior of
electric currents in various types of conductors.
- Formulate the famous law of electromagnetism,
the Ampere’s Law - that describes magnetically
the magnetic force between two electrical currents
1821 - he made his first discovery of
electromagnetism
- He took Oersted and Ampere on the magnetic
properties of electrical currents as a starting
point
1831 - achieved an electrical current from a
changing magnetic field, a phenomenon known
as electromagnetic induction.
1829- he made an important design
improvements by insulating the wire
instead of the iron core
- he was able to wrap a large number
of turns of wire around the core and
thus greatly increase the power of the
magnet
A brilliant physicist and mathematician
proposed Faraday’s electromagnetic induction
to happen even in empty space.
He added two basic principles of
electromagnetism:
(1) a changing electric field in space produces
a magnetic field,
(2) a changing magnetic field in space
produces electric field.
He proposed that the alteration of electric
and magnetic fields, generating and
propelling each other in space, can be
thought of as a form of moving energy
which he called electromagnetic wave.
Using mathematical computations, he
concluded that the speed of electromagnetic
waves must be 3.0 x 108 m/s
- A German physicist who designed
an experimental set up that was
electrical in nature and able to
generate and detect electromagnetic
waves.
 ELECTRIC AND
MAGNETIC FIELDS
AsAccelerating
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These
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Both
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of the
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 Learning
Task 1
Match the scientists with their contributions in the
development of the electromagnetic theory.
 Contributed in developing equations
that showed the relationship of
electricity and magnetism.

Andre-Marie Ampere James Clerk Maxwell

Michael Faraday Hans Christian Oersted

 Showed experimental evidence of
electromagnetic waves and their link
to light

Heinrich Hertz James Clerk Maxwell

Michael Faraday Hans Christian Oersted

 Demonstrated the magnetic effect
based on the direction of current.

James Clerk Maxwell Andre-Marie Ampere

Heinrich Hertz Hans Christian Oersted

 Formulated the principle behind
electromagnetic induction.

Andre-Marie Ampere James Clerk Maxwell

Michael Faraday Heinrich Hertz

 Showed how a current carrying
wire behaves like a magnet.

Andre-Marie Ampere James Clerk Maxwell

Hans Christian Oersted Heinrich Hertz

 The el
ectrom
contin agneti
u um o c (EM
arrang f elect ) spec
ed acc romag t ru m i
wavel o r di ng netic w sa
ength. t o f r e aves
fr o m t I q
he wa t is a gradua uency and
the wa ves of lowe l progressi
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highes uencie
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encies
.
PHOTONS – are bundles of wave energy
 The Regions of the Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Radio and TV waves
have the longest wavelengths
and the lowest frequencies in
the electromagnetic spectrum

can be produced by making

electricity oscillate in an aerial,
or antenna, and are used to
transmit sound and picture
information over long distances
The Regions of the Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Microwaves
are radio waves of very short
wavelength

are used in satellite

communications because they can
penetrate the ionosphere – a layer
of the earth’s atmosphere in which
there is a high concentration of
charged particles
The Regions of the Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Infrared Waves
are waves that lie in the region beyond the
red end of visible spectrum
wavelength of infrared waves is too long to
be visible to the naked eye

Infrared radiation is most noticeable when

given off by hot objects, especially when
objects are red hot
The Regions of the Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Visible Waves
At about 700 C, the shortest waves present can
be detected by the eye. These visible waves are
what we know as light waves
When white light passes through a prism, it is
separated into its constituent colors: red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet

Violet has the shortest wavelength and red has

the longest
The Regions of the Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Ultraviolet Waves
Ultraviolet waves are invisible
radiation that lie beyond the violet
end of the visible spectrum

Ultra violet light has a shorter

wavelength than violet light and carry
more energy.
The sun is our main source of
ultraviolet light
The Regions of the Electromagnetic
Spectrum
X – rays
X-rays have short wavelengths and
high frequencies and are very
penetrating
They are produced by the rapid
acceleration of electrons in X-ray
machines that collide with atoms that
X-rays
All X-rays are dangerous because they
can damage living cells and can cause
cancer
The Regions of the Electromagnetic
Spectrum
Gamma rays
Gamma rays are high-energy waves
produced from nuclear reactions
have shorter wavelengths than X-rays
because energy changes within the
nucleus are normally much larger than
those that take place outside it

are more dangerous than X-rays because

radioactive substances emit them
 Learning
Task 3
Study the given illustration. Complete the missing
information on the electromagnetic spectrum.
Thank
You