Key Questions
Electromagnetic waves are produced when an electric charge vibrates or accelerates.
Electromagnetic Waves
A transverse wave consisting of changing electric and changing magnetic fields.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
The full range of electromagnetic radiation.
Transparent
A description of a material that allows most of the light that strikes it to pass through.
Dispersion
The process of dissolving by breaking into smaller pieces.The process in which white light separates into colors.
What is the maximum speed of light?
Electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum, or empty space, as well as through matter.
Electric Field
A field in a region of space that exerts electric forces on charged particles; a field produced by electric charges or by changing magnetic fields.
A method of transmitting a radio signal in which the amplitude of the carrier wave varies while its frequency remains the same.
Translucent
A description of a material that scatters light that passes through it.
Primary Colors
Three specific colors that can be combined in varying intensities to create millions of colors.
How do electromagnetic waves differ from one another?
The speed of light in a vacuum, c, is 3.00 x 10 to the eighth meters per second.
A field in a region of space that exerts magnetic forces; a field produced by magnets, by changing electric fields, or by moving charges.
Frequency Modulation
A method of transmitting a radio signal in which the frequency of the carrier wave varies while its amplitude remains the same.
Opaque
A description of a material that either absorbs or reflects all of the light that strikes it so nothing can be seen through it.
Secondary Colors
New color that results when any two of the primary colors are combined.
What is the dual nature of electromagnetic radiation?
Electromagnetic waves vary in wavelength and frequency.
Electromagnetic Radiation
The transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.
Thermograms
A color-coded picture using variations in infrared radiation to show variations in temperature.
Image
A copy of an object formed by reflected or refracted rays of light.
Complementary Colors of Light
Any two colors of light that combine to form white light.
What happens as light travels farther from its source?
Electromagnetic radiation behaves sometimes like a wave and sometimes like a stream of particles.
Photoelectric Effect
The emission of electrons from a metal caused by light striking the metal.
What is the product of the speed of an electromagnetic wave?
The wavelength and frequency.
Regular Reflection
A reflection that occurs when parallel light waves strike a surface and all reflect in the same direction.
Pigment
A material that selectively absorbs certain colors of light and reflects other colors.