WHAT SCIENTIFIC TERM OR CONCEPT OUGHT TO BE MORE WIDELY
KNOWN? - ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
Editor’s Note: In this piece for his tenth grade Advanced Chemistry class, Jack Howard (‘19) explains the electromagnetic spectrum, a concept he believes should be more widely known.
The electromagnetic spectrum is the human species’ explanation and reasoning behind all rays and light. Humans created the spectrum with preexisting units such as wavelengths, and as a result we are able to quantify all light, even frequencies that humans cannot see in real life. Before the spectrum was created, we were able to quantify colors we could see, but there weren’t great methods created to do such a thing. When it comes to the way that sound waves work contrasted with the way that the electromagnetic spectrum represents the way that light (or waves) are produced, it is clear that they are two different processes that aren’t very related. This is exemplified by the way that sound waves are an effect of the way that air particles vibrate against each other, while waves from the electromagnetic spectrum are not physical molecules or particles vibrating or rubbing against each other, but rather vibrations and contact between electromagnetic and electric fields. Thus, they don’t require anything in the world in terms of matter to create light or waves.
All of radio waves, microwaves, infrared waves, visible light wavelengths, ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays are created and are classified in terms of the electromagnetic spectrum. This means that the light and colors that humans see on a daily basis are all one small group of wavelengths from the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Furthermore, there are many other values of wavelengths found on the electromagnetic spectrum that humans cannot see or perceive, such as radio waves that come from radio stations. It is important to know about the other types of waves such as microwaves, infrared light, ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays as they are used very often but are not nearly as well known as other types of waves. It is also important to understand the way these waves function because they formulate some of the ways that new technology cooks, tests, or creates images of things we have not been able to see in the past. For example, when we use x-rays to see inside of people’s bodies, or use microwaves to cook our food, we are sending waves through our bodies or our meals. It is a common misconception that these waves are all created differently and thus give varied, different responses. However, this is false, as all of these waves go through different processes despite producing very similar end results. They are all electromagnetic radiation, but all have different values of length or distance between waves, and this is why they seem different. One example of acknowledging the nature and abilities of waves is the way that astronomers have used our knowledge to assure that our telescopes and visual tools yield accurate results. Specifically, there are many telescopes that are required to be in the upper areas of our atmosphere so that they can pick up waves that wouldn’t otherwise make it through to telescopes on the ground. Thus, if we didn’t use telescopes up in orbit, we would be missing out on much information that wouldn’t pass through our atmosphere. This is just one example of many that show how waves can affect the way that we understand the earth and its surroundings.
Works Cited
Darvill, A. (n.d.). The Electromagnetic Spectrum: Home page. Retrieved April 03, 2017, from http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/.
N. (2013, March). The Electromagnetic Spectrum. Retrieved April 03, 2017, from https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/toolbox/emspectrum1.html.
All of radio waves, microwaves, infrared waves, visible light wavelengths, ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays are created and are classified in terms of the electromagnetic spectrum. This means that the light and colors that humans see on a daily basis are all one small group of wavelengths from the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Furthermore, there are many other values of wavelengths found on the electromagnetic spectrum that humans cannot see or perceive, such as radio waves that come from radio stations. It is important to know about the other types of waves such as microwaves, infrared light, ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays as they are used very often but are not nearly as well known as other types of waves. It is also important to understand the way these waves function because they formulate some of the ways that new technology cooks, tests, or creates images of things we have not been able to see in the past. For example, when we use x-rays to see inside of people’s bodies, or use microwaves to cook our food, we are sending waves through our bodies or our meals. It is a common misconception that these waves are all created differently and thus give varied, different responses. However, this is false, as all of these waves go through different processes despite producing very similar end results. They are all electromagnetic radiation, but all have different values of length or distance between waves, and this is why they seem different. One example of acknowledging the nature and abilities of waves is the way that astronomers have used our knowledge to assure that our telescopes and visual tools yield accurate results. Specifically, there are many telescopes that are required to be in the upper areas of our atmosphere so that they can pick up waves that wouldn’t otherwise make it through to telescopes on the ground. Thus, if we didn’t use telescopes up in orbit, we would be missing out on much information that wouldn’t pass through our atmosphere. This is just one example of many that show how waves can affect the way that we understand the earth and its surroundings.
Works Cited
Darvill, A. (n.d.). The Electromagnetic Spectrum: Home page. Retrieved April 03, 2017, from http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/.
N. (2013, March). The Electromagnetic Spectrum. Retrieved April 03, 2017, from https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/toolbox/emspectrum1.html.
