wave

"Electromagnetic waves are transverse: the electric and magnetic fields oscillate at right angles to the direction of travel. They also vibrate at right angles to one another...amplitude of a wave is the strength or intensity of the oscillation" (Taylor, 314). This illustrates that EM radiation does in fact have wave like properties. The amplidude section goes right along with the radio wave strength, the AM radio waves being used with strength variation. EM waves are usually vectors, meaning that when working with them, the direction would need to be taken into account. On a website, "Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves," the electric and magnetic waves are very nicely depicted.

 

 

(Place your cursor above picture to see wave crest/trough graphic)

Nasa Site (for image 1) Student Site (for image 2)

This depicts the different aspects of a wave and how the wavelength is calculated. To calculate frequency, solve for frequency: f = c/l. The rollover image displays another wavelength and the crest and trough of a wave.

 

Nasa Site

This picture shows the size of the different waves, within in the EM spectrum, in centimeters, compared known object sizes.

 

 

Nasa Site

Here the pictures shows the difference between high frequency and low frequency waves as well as depicting the wavelengths. Visible light is almost half way between the two ends of the spectrum.

 

 

 

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