Who discovered the electromagnetic spectrum?
X-rays allow us to probe extremely hot locations, such as near black holes or neutron stars, while gamma rays come from hugely energetic events, such as colliding neutron stars. Ultraviolet light can show us the glow of stars being born, and also reveals the properties of some of the most energetic stars in the universe, like pulsars (opens in new tab). Infrared waves transfer heat, meanwhile, while visible light lets us actually see distant stars and other objects.
Radio waves and microwaves, with their long wavelengths, allow scientists to see into dense molecular clouds where stars are born, which are obscured to other wavelengths. Depending on the type of radiation, however, different knowledge can be gleaned.
The EM spectrum is the means by which our universe transfers energy and information from one location to another. Why is the electromagnetic spectrum important? The distance between the peaks of those waves is the wavelength of the radiation, while the number of waves is the frequency. All these forms of radiation travel at the same speed in the vacuum of space, the speed of light, or about 300 million meters per second (300,000 km/s).Įach type of EM radiation is created by particles being accelerated by an electric field and producing oscillating waves of electric and magnetic fields. Next are microwaves, followed by infrared, visible light (the form of radiation we can see), ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays. Many natural objects emit radio waves, from planets to stars, but also other phenomena too, like lightning. To the left of the electromagnetic spectrum are radio waves, the lowest frequency form of radiation with the longest wavelengths. There are seven groups of the electromagnetic spectrum. A diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum.
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