ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM AND WAVE PROPERTIES
INTERNET ACTIVITY
Name ______Date ______Period ______
Use the following web address to answer the questions that follow:
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l1/emspectrum.html
1. What is the electromagnetic spectrum?
2. Complete the table below with the seven sections illustrated on the webpage and give a short description of each.
Type of Radiation / Short Description3. Which type of radiation has the shortest wavelength? ______
4. Which type of radiation has the longest wavelength? ______
5. Which type of radiation has the highest frequency? ______
6. Which type of radiation has the lowest frequency? ______
7. What are “photons”? ______
8. Which of the following is correct in order of lowest to highest frequency?
A) x-rays, visible light, microwaves
B) ultraviolet , visible light, gamma rays
C) microwaves, visible light, gamma rays
9. This type of emission maps the dust between the stars…
A) infrared
B) ultraviolet
C) x-rays
D) gamma rays
10. Gas in space emits radio waves.
A) True
B) False
C) We have no way of knowing!
11. This type of emission can come from radioactive materials.
A) radio
B) x-rays
C) gamma rays
Fill in the blank:
12. ______Energy emitted into the air from a boom box.
13. ______Electromagnetic radiation can be described in terms of a stream of this type of particle.
14. ______Large balls of gas that create and emit their own radiation.
15. ______This type of radiation is normally felt as heat.
16. ______The part of the EMS that our eye can see.
17. ______A source of ultraviolet radiation.
18. ______Energy from these can cook popcorn.
19. ______Distance between adjacent peaks in a series of periodic waves.
20. ______This radiation is abbreviated as UV.
21. ______Unit of time.
22. ______A doctor used these to look at bones.
23. ______Energy radiated in the form of waves.
24. ______A name scientists give to the full range of types of radiation.
25. ______Radioactive materials emit these.
26. ______Measured in cycles per second.
Go to the following websites and answer the questions that follow.
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/light/makewaves-frames.html
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l2/emspectrum.html
27. Make a sketch of an electromagnetic wave. Label the wavelength and amplitude.
28. What is the formula that shows the relationship between frequency, velocity, and wavelength of a wave. (Instead of the Greek letter “nu” , use an “f” for frequency.)
29. What is the relationship between energy and frequency?
30. What is the relationship between energy and wavelength?
31. What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength?
32. At what speed do all electromagnetic waves travel?
33. What SI unit is used to express frequency?
34. What SI unit is used to express wavelength?
35. What SI unit is used to express speed?
36. What is Planck’s equation for calculating the energy of a photon?
37. What is the value for “h” in Planck’s constant, (in the SI unit of J)? You may have to search to find a value for this one!
38. Infrared radiation has wavelengths in the range of 1 X 10-5 m. What is the frequency of this infrared radiation? SHOW WORK!
39. Find the energy of the infrared photon from # 38. SHOW WORK!
40. Gamma rays have a frequency of 1 X 1020 Hz. What is the wavelength of gamma radiation? SHOW WORK!
41. What is the energy of the gamma ray photon from question # 40? SHOW WORK!