types of electromagnetic waves

radiowaves

used to transmit __ waves and television signals, telecommunication & broadcasting

migraines & headache

earphones, diodes, aerial antennae

AM radio waves

bend around buildings/other obstacles in path

long wavelength

FM radio waves

doesn’t bend around obstacles, leading to low reception

short wavelength

cons of radio waves

migraines/headache

harms body cells

microwaves

high frequency radiowaves

locates objects through radar & cooking

satellite dishes

kitchen appliance

magnetron accelerates charged particles

microwaves reflect off the metal fan and directed to cooking chamber

microwaves heat up the food by causing water particles to vibrate

spinning so each portion of food gets time to cook

infrared waves

used in night vision equipment, thermography, etc.

produced by molecular vibrations

from the sun, heater, and other hot bodies

thermometers, thermopiles, phototransistor

cons of infrared waves

sunburn

visible light

motion of electrons as they jump between different orbits

sun, flame, light radiated from heated objects

color, photosynthesis

eye, photoelectric cells

cons of visible light

skin cancer

ultraviolet rays

motion of electrons in atoms

electric spark, discharge tube

used in skin treatment, lamps, vitamin d

fluorescence, photographic film

cons of ultraviolet rays

blindness, skin aging

UVC

shortest wavelength, absorbed by ozone

UVB

largest effect on top layer of skin

causes redness & skin cancer

UVA

longest wavelength

reaches deep into the skin and causes aging & wrinkling

xray

roentgen radiation

disturbances in electronic structure of atoms

stars

radiotherapy & radiography

photographic film

cons of xray

damage to central nervous system and damages cells

gamma rays

short and come from atomic nuclei, radioactive atoms in nuclear explosion

cobalt

sterilization of medical instruments, treatment of diseases

geiger-muller tube

cons of gamma rays

kills healthy cells & causes gene mutation

ionizing radiation

gamma ray, xray, ultraviolet

removes an electron from an atom, changes the chemical composition of a material

non ionizing radiation

visible light, infrared, microwave, radio wave

less energy, excites molecules and atoms to vibrate

low frequency region

slight circulating currents within the human body, heating of body tissues

high frequency region

seriously harmful, cancer, burns, etc