Vocabulary for Chapter 17 – EM waves
1. electromagnetic wave – A disturbance that transfers energy through a
field.
2. radiation – energy that moves in the form of EM waves.
3. EM spectrum – the range of all EM frequencies known.
4. radio waves – EM waves that have the longest wavelengths, the lowest
frequencies, and the lowest energies.
5. microwaves – EM waves with shorter wavelengths, higher frequencies,
and higher energy than other radio waves.
6. infrared light – part of the EM spectrum consisting of EM frequencies
between microwaves and visible light.
7. visible light – part of the EM spectrum that human eyes can see.
8. ultraviolet light – part of the EM spectrum consisting of frequencies
above those of visible light and partially below those of x-rays.
9. x-rays – part of the EM spectrum with frequencies between ultraviolet and
gamma rays.
10. gamma rays – part of the EM spectrum that has the highest frequencies
and energies.
11. incandescence – the production of light by materials at high temperatures.
12. luminescence – the production of light without the high temperatures
needed for incandescence.
13. bioluminescence – production of light by living organisms.
14. fluorescence – when a material absorbs EM radiation of one wavelength
and gives off EM radiation of another.
15. transmission – the passage of an EM wave through a medium.
16. absorption – the disappearance of an EM wave into the medium.
17. scattering – the spreading out of light rays in all directions because
particles reflect and absorb the light.
18. polarization – the quality of light in which all of its waves vibrate in the
same direction.
19. prism – a tool that uses refraction to spread out the different wavelengths
that make up white light.
20. primary colors – the three colors of light---red, green, and blue----that can
be mixed to produce all possible colors.
21. primary pigments – three colors of substances ---cyan, yellow, and
magenta---- that can be mixed to produce all possible colors.