1. Electromagnetic Spectrum Notes 1) Our atmosphere receives most of its energy from the sun. This energy travels in waves from the sun called electromagnetic waves, a form of energy that can travel through space. The direct transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves is called radiation.

2. Energy in atmosphere from the sun Electromagnetic = energy traveling through space from Radiation = DIRECT transfer of electromagnetic energy.

3. 2) A wave has several parts. A single rise or depression in a series of waves is a pulse. Any two consecutive pulses, one a rise and the other a depression, make up a wave. The high point of a wave is the crest and the low point is the trough. Wavelength is the distance between two waves and can be measured in crest to crest or trough to trough.

4. Wavelength = the distance between two waves. Crest = top of wave Trough = bottom of wave

5. Electromagnetic Spectrum Parts include: 3) Visible Light is a mixture of all the colors that you see in the rainbow. The different colors are the results of different wavelengths of visible light. Red and orange light have the longest wavelengths. Blue and violet have shorter wavelengths.

6. Visible light = middle of spectrum, 1. medium wavelength, 2. medium speed 3. medium energy B/c it is in the middle we see visible light.

7. 4) Infrared radiation is a form of energy with wavelengths that are longer then red light. Infrared radiation is not visible, but can be felt as HEAT. It is emitted as heat and absorbed by cool bodies. Heat lamps used to keep food warm in restaurants give off both visible red light and invisible infrared radiation.

8. Infrared = longer wavelengths, less energy, slower waves Felt as heat Not visible Used in heat lamps

9. 5) The sun also gives off ultraviolet radiation, which has wavelengths shorter then violet light. Ultraviolet radiation can’t be seen but our skin is very sensitive to it. It can cause sunburn, eye damage, and skin cancers.

10. Ultraviolet = short wavelengths, more energy, faster waves Not visible Causes skin damage b/c of more energy

11. 6) Electromagnetic energy from the sun can be either absorbed or reflected. Clouds, the ground, water, and gasses absorb or soak up energy from the sun. Clouds, the ground, water and gasses also reflect or throw back the suns energy.

12. Absorb = to soak up Reflect = to bounce off Things that reflect AND absorb: Clouds Water (oceans) Atmosphere grounds