Electromagnetic radiation
Article
Electromagnetic radiation consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space and carry energy and momentum. In a vacuum it travels at the speed of light.
Electromagnetic radiation includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays. These categories differ mainly in frequency, wavelength, photon energy, and typical interactions with matter.
Classically, electromagnetic waves are generated by accelerating electric charges. Quantum theory describes radiation as photons whose energy is proportional to frequency.
Electromagnetic radiation can reflect, refract, diffract, interfere, polarise, and be absorbed or emitted by matter. It underlies communications, imaging, heating, spectroscopy, astronomy, remote sensing, and much of modern technology.
Source details and credits
- Source / publisher: Wikipedia
- URL type: WWW
- Credits: Wikipedia
- URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation