1. WAVES AND THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
UNIT #2 THE ATOM

2. Background
Energy is found in many forms (mechanical, kinetic, potential, etc.)
One of the ways that energy travels is electromagnetic radiation
Examples of electromagnetic radiation: X-rays, microwaves, radio waves, light
Electromagnetic radiation travels in waves

3. Waves
Wavelength (λ) – distance between two successive crests or troughs in a wave
Frequency (ν) – number of cycles of a wave that pass a point in one second
The speed of all waves is the speed of light (2.998 x 108 meters per second)

4. Units The unit for wavelength are meters
The unit for frequency is 1/s (s-1)
This unit is also sometimes referred to as Hertz (Hz)

5. The Inverse Relation of Wavelength and Frequency
Wavelength x frequency = speed of light

6. Practice The wavelength of a wave is 2.00 meters. Find its frequency.
The frequency of a wave is 10,575 Hz. Find its wavelength.

8. The Electromagnetic Spectrum