9702 · 7.4
Electromagnetic spectrum
From the faint glow of a distant star to the invisible signals carrying your favourite music, **electromagnetic (EM) waves** are all around us. This lesson will unpack the entire **electromagnetic spectrum**, exploring the fascinating properties that make these waves so essential to our understanding of the universe. This pilot aligns with **Senpai Corner** AS notes (2025-2027) for topic **7.4**.
Need to know
What you need to know
- Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.
- It consists of electric field and magnetic field components.
- It can propagate without the need of a medium to carry them unlike mechanical waves.
- The speed that electromagnetic waves travel at is 3.00 x 10⁸ m s^{-1}.
- If this number seems familiar it’s because that’s the speed of light. Light is a wave or more specifically an electromagnetic wave.
Explanation
Electromagnetic spectrum
- Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.
- It consists of electric field and magnetic field components.
- It can propagate without the need of a medium to carry them unlike mechanical waves.
- The speed that electromagnetic waves travel at is 3.00 x 10⁸ m s^{-1}.