Transfer of Energy by EM Waves Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

What do electromagnetic waves transfer, and between what?

They transfer energy from the source of the waves to an absorber.

Give an example that illustrates the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.

Food in a microwave oven absorbs microwaves and its temperature rises (also: infrared from a fire warming your skin).

Why do human eyes detect only a limited range of electromagnetic waves?

Our eyes only detect visible light, which is one small group of the continuous EM spectrum.

True or false? Human eyes can detect infrared radiation.

False. Eyes detect visible light only; infrared must be detected with an instrument such as an IR camera or thermometer.

True or false? Electromagnetic waves need a medium to travel through.

False. They can travel through a vacuum, unlike sound waves.