Waves and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Imagine the Universe!
by NASA Astronomer's Toolbox
The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is the range of all types of EM radiation. Radiation is energy that travels and spreads out as it goes – the visible light that comes from a lamp in your house and the radio waves that come from a radio station are two types of electromagnetic radiation. The other types of EM radiation that make up the... Read More
by NASA Astronomer's Toolbox
The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is the range of all types of EM radiation. Radiation is energy that travels and spreads out as it goes – the visible light that comes from a lamp in your house and the radio waves that come from a radio station are two types of electromagnetic radiation. The other types of EM radiation that make up the... Read More
Bill Nye the Science Guy Videos
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School Tube Link:Bill Nye the Science Guy Workseet - Light & Color |
Notes - Waves
Unit 4 Waves - Vocabulary & Definitions
- electromagnetic wave – A disturbance that transfers energy through a field.
- radiation – energy that moves in the form of EM waves.
- EM spectrum – the range of all EM frequencies known.
- radio waves – EM waves that have the longest wavelengths, the lowest frequencies, and the lowest energies.
- microwaves – EM waves with shorter wavelengths, higher frequencies, and higher energy than other radio waves.
- infrared light – part of the EM spectrum consisting of EM frequencies between microwaves and visible light.
- visible light – part of the EM spectrum that human eyes can see.
- ultraviolet light – part of the EM spectrum consisting of frequencies above those of visible light & partially below those of x-rays.
- x-rays – part of the EM spectrum with frequencies between ultraviolet and gamma rays.
- gamma rays – part of the EM spectrum that has the highest frequencies and energies.
- incandescence – the production of light by materials at high temperatures.
- luminescence – the production of light without the high temperatures needed for incandescence.
- bioluminescence – production of light by living organisms.
- fluorescence – when a material absorbs EM radiation of one wavelength and gives off EM radiation of another.
- transmission – the passage of an EM wave through a medium.
- absorption – the disappearance of an EM wave into the medium.
- scattering – the spreading out of light rays in all directions because particles reflect and absorb the light.
- polarization – the quality of light in which all of its waves vibrate in the same direction.
- prism – a tool that uses refraction to spread out the different wavelengths that make up white light.
- primary colors – the three colors of light---red, green, and blue----that can be mixed to produce all possible colors.
- primary pigments – three colors of substances ---cyan, yellow, and magenta---- that can be mixed to produce all possible colors.
Introduction to the Electromagnetic Spectrum
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What is Light?
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Understanding Refraction
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The Science of Earthquakes
An earthquake is what happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another. The surface where they slip is called the fault or fault plane. The location below the earth’s surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter, and the location directly above it on the surface of the earth is called the epicenter.
Sometimes an earthquake has foreshocks. These are smaller earthquakes that happen in the same place as the larger earthquake that follows. Scientists can’t tell that an earthquake is a foreshock until the larger earthquake happens. The largest, main earthquake is called themainshock. Mainshocks always have aftershocks that follow. These are smaller earthquakes that occur afterwards in the same place as the mainshock...Read More
Sometimes an earthquake has foreshocks. These are smaller earthquakes that happen in the same place as the larger earthquake that follows. Scientists can’t tell that an earthquake is a foreshock until the larger earthquake happens. The largest, main earthquake is called themainshock. Mainshocks always have aftershocks that follow. These are smaller earthquakes that occur afterwards in the same place as the mainshock...Read More
Video Gallery
The Science Behind Earthquakes
Understanding the Richter Scale
What is an Earthquake?
Khan Academy: Seismic Waves
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