 Explain important properties of the electromagnetic spectrum  Describe the important characteristics of light  Discuss and calculate the speed of light

 “White” light is actually light that can be separated into the six colors of the visible spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet

 When most people think of light, they think only of this visible light › Not all light however, is visible to the human eye  Visible light makes up only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum

 The electromagnetic spectrum is a continuum of all electromagnetic waves arranged according to frequency and wavelength.  Visible light is the particular type of electromagnetic radiation that can be seen by the human eye

 Some “invisible” types of electromagnetic radiation include X rays, microwaves, and radio waves

 Light has been described as a particle, a wave, or a combination of both  The wave model is most commonly used

 Electromagnetic light waves are composed of oscillating electric and magnetic fields › Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves  Each type of electromagnetic wave has a unique frequency and wavelength

 In addition, the electric and magnetic fields are at right angles to each other

 All electromagnetic waves move at the speed of light › In a vacuum, electromagnetic radiation travel at a speed of 3.0 x 10 8 m/s (the speed of light)  In air however, light travels at a slightly slower speed than it would in a vacuum

 The relationship between frequency, wavelength, and the speed of light is illustrated by the following equation

 The AM radio band extends from 5.4 x 10 5 Hz to 1.7 x 10 6 Hz. What are the longest and shortest wavelengths in this frequency range? › 5.6 x 10 2 m › 1.8 x 10 2 m