Electromagnetic Spectrum

Students should be able to:

1. state that all electromagnetic waves are transverse waves that travel with the same speed in vacuum
2. describe the main regions of the electromagnetic spectrum in order of wavelength and frequency
3. state examples of typical uses of the following regions of the electromagnetic spectrum:
   1. radio waves (e.g. radio and television communication, astronomy and RFID tags)
   2. microwaves (e.g. mobile (cell) phones, microwave oven and satellite television)
   3. infrared (e.g. infrared remote controllers, intruder alarms and thermal imaging)
   4. visible light (e.g. photography, optical fibres in medicine and telecommunications)
   5. ultraviolet (e.g. sunbeds, bank note authentication and disinfecting water)
   6. X-rays (e.g. medical radiology, security screening and industrial defect detection)
   7. gamma (γ) rays (e.g. sterilising food, detection of cancer and its treatment)
4. describe how over-exposure to electromagnetic waves can have hazardous effects (e.g. heating and ionising effects of radiation) on living cells and tissue