The electromagnetic spectrum is divided into several regions based on wavelength (or frequency). Each region has distinct characteristics and uses. The main regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, from longest wavelength to shortest, are:
- Radio Waves
- Longest wavelengths, ranging from kilometers to millimeters
- Used for radio and television broadcasting, mobile phones, and radar
- Microwaves
- Wavelengths from about 1 millimeter to 1 meter
- Used in microwave ovens, satellite communication, and radar systems
- Infrared (IR)
- Wavelengths from about 700 nanometers to 1 millimeter
- Emitted by warm objects, used in remote controls, night-vision devices, and thermal imaging
- Visible Light
- Wavelengths from about 400 to 700 nanometers
- The only part visible to the human eye; includes all the colors of the rainbow
- Ultraviolet (UV)
- Wavelengths from about 10 to 400 nanometers
- Produced by the sun; responsible for sunburns and used in sterilization
- X-Rays
- Wavelengths from about 0.01 to 10 nanometers
- Penetrate soft tissues; widely used in medical imaging and material analysis
- Gamma Rays
- Shortest wavelengths, less than 0.01 nanometers
- Produced by nuclear reactions and cosmic phenomena; used in cancer treatment and sterilization
Each region corresponds to a range of wavelengths and frequencies, and the energy of the waves increases as the wavelength decreases.