We can call science a curtain full of secrets. So much so that a considerable amount of research is required to open this veil even a little on any subject. Today, we will again take a look at the electromagnetic wave portion of such a curtain. We will try to open a small part of this veil with our research and we will answer the questions of what electromagnetic waves are, what are they useful for and what are their types.

Technology continues to make our lives easier every day. So much so that even doing research can be done much easier than in the past thanks to the internet. In the past, encyclopedias etc. in libraries. This process, which is done with a lot of effort through tools, can only be done with a simple internet search today. Of course, the results you get do not always give an accurate and clear answer, but when you go deep enough, you can find what you are looking for.

Electricity may be one of the greatest discoveries and needs of our age. The production of electricity, which emerged as a result of Benjamin Franklin’s experiments in 1752, originally dates back to the 1800s . Electromagnetic studies, on the other hand, go further than these periods. So what are these electromagnetic waves that we encounter in many daily tools and machines ?

What is electromagnetic wave, what does it do? Types:

What is electromagnetic wave?
What do electromagnetic waves do?
What are electromagnetic waves? Types:
radio waves
microwaves
infrared waves
Visible light waves
ultraviolet waves
x-rays
gamma rays

First, what is an electromagnetic wave?

In their shortest form, electromagnetic waves are waves obtained by the accelerated motion of charged particles . But to go into more detail, electromagnetic waves arise as a result of vibrations between an electric field and a magnetic field. In other words, these two areas must come into contact with each other for the formation of EM waves . For this reason, it was named as “electromagnetic” waves, taking its name from its two creators.

Electromagnetic waves are quite strong. So much so that it is not possible for them to be deflected while they are moving in space and air , solid , vacuum , etc. They have the potential to go through anything. They do not need a specific medium to reach or spread anywhere. In contrast, Mechanical waves (like sound waves or water waves) need a specific medium to move in order to move .

What do electromagnetic waves do?

The simplest example that can be given to this subject can be over radio waves. Radio waves are one of the most easily transmitted waves through the air. They do not harm in contact with the human body and can be reflected to change direction. Such properties make radio waves ideal  for communication .

We can give another example over microwaves. Microwaves have frequencies that are easily absorbed by the molecules in food. This allows the molecules to increase their energies as they absorb microwaves, that is, they heat up. This is where the basic principle of microwaves, which allows many people to quickly heat their food today, comes from. 

What are electromagnetic waves? Types:

• radio waves
• microwaves
• infrared waves
• Visible light waves
• ultraviolet waves
• x-rays
• gamma rays

Used for communication: Radio waves

Radio waves may be the most common and ubiquitous wave type known. Radio waves are used to carry signals to receivers to be converted into information. It is also the lowest frequency wave in the EM spectrum . Many objects etc. in our artificial and natural environment. object contains radio waves. This includes cosmic bodies such as stars and planets. The most common use of radio waves is through television stations and cell phone companies. These companies include telephone, television, etc. They generate signals that will be received by your device .

Rescue in the heat: Microwaves

Microwaves are the second leading wave in terms of the lowest wave frequency in the EM spectrum . Unlike the journeys that radio waves can make between cities and countries, microwaves can go a little more than centimeters. But due to their higher frequency, rain, cloud, etc., where radio waves are blocked and blocked. They can go through things. In addition to its miraculous feature such as heating our meals , computers and so on. Features such as data transfer from devices are also among the tasks of the microwave.

Nicknamed invisible heat: Infrared waves

Infrared waves are in the middle of the EM spectrum and are a type of wave that does not mix with meat and milk. Unlike microwaves or radio waves, infrared waves range in length from millimeters to microscopic lengths. The functionality caused by infrared waves varies according to their size. The longer the length of the infrared wave , the more heat it generates and also the sun, etc. It also includes radiation emitted from objects. The shorter the wavelengths , the less heat it produces, and this wave is used in imaging technologies and remote controls.

Lighting up our world: Visible light waves

Visible light waves are what make the world around us so distinct and make us see it. The belt, which is universally called the rainbow, is the different frequencies of visible light waves reflected to the human eye . The part where the visible ray is most striking and strong is naturally the sun. Depending on what length of beam an object absorbs and how it reflects the absorbed wave, its colors may appear different.

A bit harmful: Ultraviolet waves

Even visible light waves have larger wavelengths compared to Ultraviolet waves. Ultraviolet waves are generally harmful rays . It is known as the cause of sunburn in the general population, and exposure to too much ultraviolet light causes cancer . Any operation at high temperature causes the emission of ultraviolet rays, which can be detected through every star in the sky.

Used to view bone structures: X-rays

X-rays or X-rays are one of the smallest known wavelengths. X-rays, which have a wavelength of 0.03 to 3 nanometers, are extremely high-energy waves in contrast to their length . Naturally emitted x-ray sources are not very comparable to the human eye because they often include cosmic phenomena such as pulsars, supernovas or black holes . X-rays are also used in technology that displays bone structures in the body, known as x-rays.

You wouldn’t want to encounter: Gamma rays

Gamma waves are EM waves with the highest frequency known. These rays, which are unlikely to be matched by the human eye, are only emitted by energetic cosmic objects such as neutron stars, pulsars, supernovas or black holes. The resources available in the human world include such dangerous events as lightning, nuclear explosions and radioactive leaks that you would not want to encounter . The wavelengths of gamma waves are measured at a level even lower than that of the atom, and gamma rays also have the unpleasant property of destroying cells in the body of living things. The world runs to our aid in this matter, by destroying the gamma rays reaching its atmosphere.