Knowra Electromagnetic radiation Electromagnetic radiation Energy that propagates through space as oscillating electric and magnetic fields. Its spectrum includes radio waves, visible light, X-rays, and gamma rays.
Maxwell's equations : Four equations describing how electric and magnetic fields are produced and how they change. Their wave solutions show that changing electric and magnetic fields can propagate through space.
Frequency : The number of cycles of a repeating process completed per unit time. Radiation frequency determines photon energy and identifies its position in the spectrum.
Radio communication : The transmission of information using modulated radio-frequency electromagnetic waves. Radio waves carry signals through broadcast, cellular, satellite, and other wireless systems.
Sound wave : A mechanical disturbance that travels through a material medium as pressure or displacement variations. Unlike sound, electromagnetic radiation can travel through vacuum without a material medium.
Electromagnetic wave : A traveling disturbance of electric and magnetic fields that transports energy through space. It is the propagating field pattern that carries electromagnetic radiation.
Wavelength : The spatial period of a repeating wave, measured between equivalent points in successive cycles. Wavelength is inversely related to frequency for radiation traveling at a given speed.
Radar : A system that detects objects by transmitting radio waves and analyzing their reflections. Radar uses returned electromagnetic waves to estimate an object's range and motion.
Gravitational wave : A propagating disturbance in spacetime curvature generated by accelerating masses. It also travels through vacuum, but is a disturbance of spacetime rather than electromagnetic fields.
Photon : The quantum of the electromagnetic field, carrying energy and momentum. Photon energy provides the particle description of radiation and depends on its frequency.
Speed of light : The speed at which light travels in vacuum, exactly 299,792,458 meters per second. It links radiation's frequency and wavelength in vacuum.
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