1. BrainPOP Video – WAVES (4 minutes)
Benchmark: SC.7.P.10.1 – Illustrate that the sun’s energy arrives as radiation with a wide range of wavelengths, including infrared, visible, and ultraviolet, and that white light is made up of a spectrum of many different colors.(3 minutes)
BrainPOP Video – WAVES
(4 minutes)

2. The Electromagnetic Spectrum
longest wavelength
shortest wavelength
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
the name given to a group of energy waves that are mostly invisible and can travel through empty space
The waves with the LONGEST wavelength (radio waves) are on the LEFT.
The waves with the SHORTEST wavelength (gamma waves) are on the RIGHT.

3. Characteristics of Radio waves:
longest wavelength
shortest wavelength
Characteristics of Radio waves:
longest wavelength.
transmit radio, TV signals.
Carry the least amount of energy

4. Characteristics of Microwaves:
longest wavelength
shortest wavelength
Characteristics of Microwaves:
Shorter wavelengths than radio waves.
absorbed by water molecules.

5. Characteristics of Infrared waves:
longest wavelength
shortest wavelength
Characteristics of Infrared waves:
shorter wavelength than microwaves.
felt as heat.
hot objects give off infrared waves.

6. Characteristics of Visible light:
longest wavelength
shortest wavelength
Characteristics of Visible light:
shorter wavelength than infrared waves.
can be seen as colors.
½ of sun’s rays are visible light.

7. Characteristics of Ultraviolet light:
longest wavelength
shortest wavelength
Characteristics of Ultraviolet light:
shorter wavelength than visible light.
can kill living cells.
causes skin cancer.

8. Characteristics of X-ray radiation:
longest wavelength
shortest wavelength
Characteristics of X-ray radiation:
shorter wavelength than ultraviolet.
pass through skin, not bone.
harmful to humans.

9. Characteristics of Gamma radiation:
shortest wavelength
longest wavelength
Characteristics of Gamma radiation:
shortest wavelength (highest energy).
from radioactivity or nuclear reactions.
harmful to humans.

10. GIZMO - Herschel Experiment

11. Left Side
Right Side
On your own create an electromagnetic spectrum using the terms from the right side. Include the wavelength and identify 2 examples of each frequency.
Electromagnetic Spectrum - The full range of frequencies, from radio waves to gamma rays, that characterizes light. Radio Waves – Electromagnetic radiation which has the lowest frequency, the longest wavelength, and is produced by charged particles moving back and forth; the atmosphere of the Earth is transparent to radio waves with wavelengths from a few millimeters to about twenty meters. Microwaves – Electromagnetic radiation which has a longer wavelength (between 1 mm and 30 cm) than visible light. Microwaves can be used to study the Universe, communicate with satellites in Earth orbit, and cook popcorn. Infrared – Electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths longer than the red end of visible light and shorter than microwaves (roughly between 1 and 100 microns). Almost none of the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum can reach the surface of the Earth. Visible Light – Electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths which the human eye can see. We perceive this radiation as colors ranging from red (longer wavelengths; ~ 700 nanometers) to violet (shorter wavelengths; ~400 nanometers.) Ultraviolet – Electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths shorter than the violet end of visible light; the atmosphere of the Earth effectively blocks the transmission of most ultraviolet light. X-Rays – Electromagnetic radiation of very short wavelength and very high-energy; X-rays have shorter wavelengths than ultraviolet light but longer wavelengths than gamma rays. Gamma Rays - The highest energy, shortest wavelength electromagnetic radiations. Usually, they are thought of as any photons having energies greater than about 100 keV.
Using the graphic organizer below list the colors of the visible light frequency from longer wavelength to shorter wavelength.

12. EXIT SLIP:
1. Why do you think some colors have different temperatures than others?
2. What happens when sunlight passes through a prism?
Describe the electromagnetic spectrum and be sure to include why some frequencies are higher or lower than others.