The document describes different types of electromagnetic waves categorized by their wavelength. It discusses gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet rays, visible light (including the colors green through red), infrared rays, radio waves, microwaves, and their typical wavelengths and properties. Visible light has the longest wavelengths that humans can see between 400-750 nm, while gamma rays have the shortest at 0.0001 nm and carry the most energy.

2. Gamma Rays X Rays
Ultraviolet Rays Visible Light:
Green
WAVES:
0.0001 nm
WAVES: 0.01 nm- 10 nm
WAVES: 10 nm- 400 nm
WAVES: 550 nm
-Smallest wavelength
-Most energy
-Radioactive atoms & nuclear explosions
-Earth’s atmosphere shields us
-Dense materials (bone, metal) absorb
these, leaving a ‘shadow’ on film
-Earth’s atmosphere shields us
-While humans cannot, some insects-
bumblebees can see them
-responsible for sunburn
- Part of the visible light spectrum
that humans can see

3. Infrared Visible Light:
Violet
Radio Waves:
Radar, TV, AM, FM
Visible Light:
Blue
WAVES:
400 nm
WAVES: 1,000 nm- 0.01 cm
WAVES: 1 cm – 1 m WAVES:
500 nm
Longest wavelength
Least energy
-radio, tv, cell phone waves
-range from the size of cells to a pin head
-pin head sized infrared waves are
thermal: our temperature-sensing nerve
cells can detect these waves as heat
-smaller, cell-sized infrared waves are
NOT thermal: tv remote control
-animals like the pit viper can ‘see;
infrared
- Part of the visible light spectrum
that humans can see
- Part of the visible light spectrum
that humans can see

4. Visible Light:
Yellow
Visible Light:
Orange
Visible Light:
Red
WAVES:
650 nm
WAVES:
600 nm
WAVES: 750 nm
Visible Light: white
-when all visible light wave lengths are
seen
-cones in our eyes absorb these waves
-we see the refection of these waves off
of objects when we see the object’s color
-we are blind to some wavelengths of
color
WAVES: 400 nm- 750 nm
- Part of the visible light spectrum
that humans can see
- Part of the visible light spectrum
that humans can see
- Part of the visible light spectrum
that humans can see

5. Micro Waves:
WAVES: 30 cm
-radar: radio detection and ranging
-waves close to a foot long cook food in a
microwave
-shorter, cm long microwaves used in phone
towers
-transmit information through fog/rain
-cosmic background radiation from the Big
Bang has been discovered!