Electromagnetic Spectrum Notes

1. The Study of Light

·  The electromagnetic spectrum is the ______of electromagnetic radiation according to ______.

·  Electromagnetic radiation includes ______rays, ___-rays, ultraviolet ______, visible ______, ______radiation, ______, and ______waves.

2. Behavior of Light

·  In some instances light behaves like ______, and in others, like ______.

·  In the wave sense, light can be thought of as ______. This motion is characterized by a property known as wavelength, which is the ______from one ______to the next.

·  Frequency is the ______that pass a given point in space each ______.

►Indicate where a crest to crest wavelength is below:

A.  Characteristics of waves

·  ______= distance from the origin to the crest. Draw arrows on the wave above showing amplitude.

·  Wavelength (____) = distance between adjacent ______.

·  ______(υ) = number of waves per second.

·  All waves have a characteristic wavelength, ______.

·  Wavelength is measured in ______(10-9 m) or meters.

·  The frequency, ѵ, of a wave is the number of cycles which pass a point in one ______.

·  Unit of frequency is 1/s (s-1) or ______(Hz)

·  The speed of a wave, c, is given by its wavelength multiplied by its frequency :

·  For all types of electromagnetic radiation, the speed in vacuum is c = 3.0 ´ 108 m/s (also known as the ______)

►Fill in the missing lengths (in meters) for each type of wave in the picture below. Circle the wave type that we can see with our eyes.

Draw in the missing waves for Gamma, Visible and Radio waves below.

So, a wave with a long wavelength and low frequency = ______and a short wavelength and high frequency = ______.

The only difference between radio waves, visible light, and gamma-rays is the ______. Radio and TV waves have ______energy, visible light has ______energy and gamma waves have the ______energy.

·  Brief movie clip

·  Need colored pencils next

3. Spectroscopy

Spectroscopy is the study of the properties of ______that depend on ______.

Types of spectrums

a.  ______Spectrum - A continuous spectrum is an ______band of light emitted by an incandescent solid, liquid,or gas under ______.

Look at the overhead lights through the spectroscope and color the continuous spectrum.

b.  ______Spectrum- An absorption spectrum is a continuous spectrum produced when white light passes through a ______under ______pressure.

The gas absorbs selected wavelengths of light, and the spectrum looks like it has dark lines superimposed.

c.  ______Spectrum- An emission spectrum is a series of bright lines of particular wavelengths produced by a hot gas under low pressure.

1.  When the ______of a star is studied, the spectral lines act as ______. These lines identify the elements present and thus the star’s chemical composition (what the star is made of!).


4. The Doppler Effect

  1. The Doppler Effect is the apparent change in ______of electromagnetic or sound waves caused by the ______of the source and the observer.
  2. In astronomy, the Doppler effect is used to determine whether a ______or ______is moving away or toward Earth.
  3. c. If an object is moving ______Earth, the waves are compressed, so their wavelength is ______. The lines are shifted to shorter (bluer) wavelengths---this is called a ______.
  4. d. If the object is moving ______from Earth, the waves are stretched out, so their wavelength is ______. The lines are shifted to longer (redder) wavelengths---this is called a ______.


HS-ESS1-2, PS4.B 3