EMradiation

Electromagnetic radiation, often abbreviated as EM radiation, is a form of energy that travels at the speed of light. It is characterized by oscillating electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space. This radiation exists across a vast spectrum, known as the electromagnetic spectrum, which encompasses a wide range of wavelengths and frequencies.

At one end of the spectrum are radio waves, which have the longest wavelengths and lowest frequencies. These are used in broadcasting and communication. Moving up in frequency and down in wavelength are microwaves, used in ovens and radar. Infrared radiation, felt as heat, is next, followed by visible light, the portion of the spectrum that human eyes can detect, ranging from red to violet.

Beyond visible light, ultraviolet (UV) radiation has shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies, capable of causing sunburn. X-rays, with even shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies, can penetrate soft tissues but are stopped by denser materials like bone, making them useful in medical imaging. At the highest energy end of the spectrum are gamma rays, produced by nuclear reactions, which have the shortest wavelengths and highest frequencies.

EM radiation can behave as both a wave and a particle, a concept known as wave-particle duality. The particle aspect is called a photon, and each photon carries a specific amount of energy determined by its frequency. The interaction of EM radiation with matter is fundamental to many natural phenomena and technological applications.