Properties of Electromagnetic Waves Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

What type of wave are all electromagnetic waves?

Transverse.

How do the speeds of different electromagnetic waves in a vacuum compare?

They all travel at the same speed ($3 \times 10^8$ m/s).
e.g. radio waves and light waves travel at the same speed in space.

What do all electromagnetic waves transfer from a source to an observer?

Energy.
e.g. microwaves transfer energy that makes water molecules in food vibrate more, heating it.

True or false? The human eye can detect every frequency of electromagnetic radiation.

False. The eye detects only a limited range of frequencies — visible light.

True or false? All electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed in every substance.

False. They all travel at the same speed in a vacuum, but their speeds change in other substances, which is why light refracts.