Electromagnetic Spectrum

Electromagnetic radiation is a stream of photons (particles that don't have mass yet are traveling in a wave-like pattern while moving at the speed of light). Each photon contains a specific amount of energy. The important difference between the various types of electromagnetic radiation is the amount of energy found in the photons: photons of blue light have more energy than photons of green light and all other light with longer wavelengths.

The wavelength is the distance between
repeating units of a wave pattern.

View a movie (42.1 MB) that illustrates how light is created by atoms and molecules. Since the movie is large, portions are available that describe how the different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are created by atoms and molecules.

• Gamma rays and x-rays
• Ultraviolet and visible light
• Infrared and radio waves
• Effect of temperature in creating electromagnetic waves

Intended for middle school students, these movies are valuable for anyone interested in learning about light. Created by the Cassini-Huygens Satellite Mission to Saturn outreach team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Their interactive CD, Ways of Seeing, which includes this movie, is available at NASA 's Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) and may be ordered on-line for $5.

Illustrated resources on light and the electromagnetic spectrum may be found at the following sites:

• NASA's Earth Observatory (high school level)
• NASA's Imagine the Universe (late middle school and older)
• Georgia State University's Interactive Electromagnetic Spectrum, which is part of their HyperPhysics (text may be useful for middle school and older; mathematical components from advanced high school and older)
• NASA's Imager website for middle school level
• Wikipedia electromagnetic spectrum
• Massive Change's many applications of the electromagnetic spectrum (and other visualization technologies)

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