Discover in this article what is the Electromagnetic spectrum when and how it was discovered, how it breaks down, its frequency, effects, types and more. Read on and learn with us about the scientific advances produced through electricity and magnetism!
What is it?
El Electromagnetic spectrum are waves that are contained in the spectrum. We know that there are many types of electromagnetic waves, from radio whose wavelengths are thousands of kilometers, to the so-called gamma rays whose wavelengths are smaller than an elementary particle.
These waves differ from each other only in that they have different wavelengths, otherwise they are completely identical and show their structure, here we show you a list of the electromagnetic waves that we commonly know:
- AM radio concentrates tens to hundreds of waves
- Radio FM-TV kilometers to hands
- microwave centimeters
- Infrared thousandths of a centimeter
- Light rules 8000 atoms
- Violet light 4000 centimeters
- ultraviolet hundreds of atoms
- X-rays a few atoms
- gamma rays a few atoms
It should be noted that visible light represents only a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Visible light is important to humans, in fact it is just one of many different types of electromagnetic radiation and occupies a small part of the Eelectromagnetic spectrum.
If we are in the sun too long and get sunstroke, the cause of our discomfort is ultraviolet radiation. In this way we can object that our body detects UV radiation.
Electricity and magnetism are simply different aspects of the same fundamental force that we call the electromagnetic force.
Our Sun emits light or energy that travels in the form of waves, some of these waves we can perceive with our eyes, however, the vast majority of that energy is invisible to our eyes. The great English scientist Isaac Newton, who was an inventor, alchemist, theologian, mathematician, and physicist in the 1600s, performed an experiment that involved letting a small line of white light pass through a glass prism.
The scientist realized that this small line of light when passing through the prism was divided into a large number of colors, similar to the rainbow. This discovery would give rise to numerous investigations over the years, such as, for example, the astronomer William Herschel, used Newton's finding as a basis to measure the temperature of colors in the spectrum. The result was that each color had a different temperature.
Arriving at the confirmation that the red colors have a higher temperature unlike the violet colors. However, in this experiment, Herschel would make a totally revolutionary discovery thanks to the fact that he placed the thermometer next to the red light (where he supposed there was nothing) and noticed that the temperature was much higher, this discovery he called rays infrared because it was on one side of that color.
This revolutionary and important discovery meant the opening of a new field in the area of research, thus discovering numerous electromagnetic waves.
am and fm radio waves
They are used to transport and share information, these waves are also used in other communication devices such as the telephone, the TV, among others.
Microwave
These are high-frequency electromagnetic waves that are between 30 GHz and 300 MHz. Today they are generally used in antennas, telecommunications satellites, radars, among others. They are also used to heat and/or cook food on a daily basis through devices that were invented for this purpose and are capable of emitting them.
Energy
The spectrum that we can visualize is called light, the human eye is sensitive to these waves, however the Electromagnetic spectrum is very large and that visible part is represented as a small fraction of the spectrum.
Ultraviolet light
Nowadays it is used in various branches of science and medicine, generally its use is for disinfection and sterilization while in another field or area it is used to reveal hidden marks or fingerprints.
Gamma rays
These waves are generated mainly in astrophysical phenomena or events that are very violent, a clear example of these phenomena can be the explosion of a Supernova. They can also be generated in controlled situations on Earth such as nuclear power plants or reactors.
infrared rays
These rays are used daily in remote controls to generate or transmit information and orders. The rays in the optical fibers are used in the medical field to control pain generated by a fall, blow or stress. They are also very useful in meteorology and in other different areas thanks to the fact that these rays are used to measure the temperature in Kelvin degrees and are implemented in special cameras and satellites to measure the radiation of the Electromagnetic spectrum.
X-rays
They were also discovered thanks to those experiments carried out by William, they serve to pass through opaque bodies and are currently used so that people can obtain x-rays in order to distinguish if there is any possible invoice or if something is not right in the body.
How do the different waves of the Electromagnetic Spectrum work?
These waves are composed of an electric field and a magnetic field, these depend or vary in time. The waves intensify with frequency and are differentiated as ionizing and non-ionizing waves. They are radioactive, even becoming dangerous. Next we will show the differences:
non-ionizing radiation
These waves are considered non-ionizing because they are not capable of extracting electrons from the body they illuminate through the process of electronic excitation.
Electromagnetic waves also have different ways of carrying information, moving, or fulfilling some other function. Now we will see the different functions and applications of electromagnetic waves:
Radio and television waves called radio frequencies bounce off the ionosphere to travel from one point on the planet to another. By this means the media and people can share information by sending it through different devices such as the telephone.
Ionizing radiation
It is considered as a model of energy that is released through atoms and as electromagnetic waves such as gamma rays or particles such as alpha and beta, and neutrons. In this activity, atoms can disintegrate, this is called radioactivity.
The microwaves in the appliance work through the friction that it generates with the water particles in the food, this can generate a high temperature that cooks the food considerably. While infrared waves measure the radiation emitted by a body and is also used to send commands via remote control.
X-rays pass through any opaque object or body. Today it is one of the main elements in medicine. Thanks to these, numerous studies have been carried out and it has helped the area of medicine in a remarkable way.
Importance
Thanks to its discovery, multiple scientific advances have been made, which have provided humanity with various benefits on a large scale. Without a doubt, he caused an enormous revolution in different branches of science, such as astronomy, physics, astrology, in addition to venturing into the field of medicine. It should be noted that the Electromagnetic spectrum It has provided man with a great variety of progress at many levels or platforms that science has been responsible for promoting for the development of humanity.
This discovery brought with it a great development in telecommunications, granting them, thanks to their management to the different governments of the world, political, strategic and economic importance as well as the invention of numerous artifacts that today are essential in the daily life of any being. human. Among the various devices invented whose performance is based on electromagnetic waves, we can find the following:
The radio and its formats
This artifact is undoubtedly one of the greatest inventions in the history of communication. It has meant an indispensable tool in the modern era. This communication instrument was invented at the end of the XNUMXth century, which makes it the first means of sound communication.
AM radio
It means amplitude modulation, it offers greater range and coverage, however it does not have such a wide bandwidth. This is because it is in the band between 153 KHz and 30 MHz. Its waves appear as long, medium and short waves.
- Short: goes from 1705 kHz to 30 MHz
- Long: goes from 153 kHz to 281 kHz
- Medium: from 530 kHz to 1710 kHz
FM radio
It means frequency modulated, it works in an analog way. This format is found in the band between 87,5 MHz and 108 MHz. It has a smaller range than AM frequency radio, however it is the band most used by radio stations in the American and European continents.
Television
This device is one of the greatest inventions of the XNUMXth century, it is capable of sending and receiving sounds and images at a great distance, which simulate movements. In this way, this technological resource is one of the most used today.
The phone
It represents, like the television, one of the most used inventions in the modern era. Thanks to the invention of this technological resource, it has been possible to optimize the life of the human being. It is taken into account that this device has been perfected thanks to the new technologies implemented according to the globalization process that has promoted technological innovation in a certain way. In turn, this device allows the exchange of information through electromagnetic waves.
Satellites
The Artificial satellites they are a great invention meant a before and after in the modern era. Thanks to this system, it is possible to send numerous waves to the entire planet Earth and beyond. They also have enormous use in the field of astronomical, meteorological and geographical research. In meteorology, it is capable of predicting the different climate changes thanks to the infrared rays that it perceives through special lenses and retransmits them as information in images where the heat or radiation emitted by the different bodies can be seen.
These mechanisms are found in Orbit terrestrial, placed there intentionally with the purpose of connecting and categorically managing a large number of information collected thanks to the Electromagnetic spectrum and its waves.
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is a division of physics, it is responsible for studying the different magnetic and electrical events in order to unify them into a single theory. This branch manifests the correlation between magnetic fields and charged particles, this interaction is carried out through the exchange of photons.
It also studies some phenomena of our universe such as the oscillating electromagnetic field that emits energy through charged and accelerated particles called light. It also covers other phenomena such as gravity and the other forces that we experience on a daily basis as a result of electromagnetism.
This branch of physics is applied in various disciplines of science or fields such as medicine. Its uses can be seen in antennas, electrical appliances, nuclear research, fiber optics and satellite communication. It is also found in the different devices considered electromagnetic such as lasers, motors of electrical machines, TV, among others.
Curious facts about the Electromagnetic Spectrum
This interesting topic consists of various curious facts that have to do with the waves and radiation of the Electromagnetic spectrum, also how it affects nature and the animal world. Among them we find the following:
- Animals, especially reptiles, have a vision that is very sensitive to infrared rays, which give them the ability to see their prey and other species with thermal images.
- Cats have a vision that can capture 5 times more light than what the human eye perceives, this is taken to the artificial with the technology that is implemented especially in the military field with night vision lenses and sights
- If a Supernova explodes in the vicinity of our solar system, gamma rays could easily wipe out our ozone layer, causing powerful ultraviolet rays from the Sun to enter our planet, thus killing life on it.
- X-rays cannot pass through the atmosphere of our planet. Because they are not easy to detect, experts have had to put telescopes into orbit with enough technology to record these rays.
- Fish also have the ability to see infrared rays, these allow them to see the heat of bodies and it is extremely useful considering that sunlight can only penetrate water up to a few hundred meters deep.
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