Electromagnetic Spectrum Tour

  • By Rick Groleau
  • Posted 01.08.02
  • NOVA

Light, heat, radio signals, and medical X-rays are all forms of electromagnetic radiation—waves moving through space that are delivered by massless particles called photons. The only thing that differentiates one type of electromagnetic radiation from any other is the energy carried by its photons. Here, take a tour of the spectrum that begins with radio waves and takes you through microwaves, infrared radiation, light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays.

Launch Interactive

Explore the spectrum—from radio waves to gamma rays—with this quick primer.

This feature originally appeared on the site for the NOVA program Death Star.

Credits

Photos

(microwave)
Nobeyama Radio Observatory
(infrared)
IPAC/CalTech
(light)
NASA
(ultraviolet)
SOHO (ESA & NASA)
(x-ray)
NASA/CXC/SAO/Rutgers/J.Hughes; (gamma) GSFC/NASA

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