What is Electromagnetic Radiation? Explained



Introduction

Actually, we are all surrounded by electromagnetic radiation.  The light we see around us is a type of electromagnetic radiation. However, it is a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum . In addition to this visible light, many other rays surround us that are not visible to our naked eyes such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, x-rays , and gamma rays. These are all electromagnetic radiation. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

If you do not know much about it , this article is for you. Today, I am going to unlock the details of the electromagnetic radiation. In this article, you will know -

1. What is Electromagnetic Radiation?
2. What is Electromagnetic theory?
3. What is Electromagnetic Spectrum?
4.  Measuring electromagnetic radiation

What is Electromagnetic Radiation?

Electromagnetic (EM) radiation is a type of energy that is always present around us and takes many forms, such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, x-rays, and gamma rays. The sunlight ( visible light ) we see is also a type of electromagnetic radiation which is a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum. But the different colors of visible light contain a broad range of electromagnetic wavelengths.

This electromagnetic radiation refers to the waves of the electromagnetic field, which propagate through space and carry electromagnetic radiant energy.  In a vacuum, the speed of electromagnetic radiation is the same as the speed of light.

What is Electromagnetic theory

At one time the electric force and the magnetic force were thought to be two different forces. But in 1873, Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell, brought the correlation between electricity and magnetism for the first time using Maxwell’s equations and developed a unified theory known as electromagnetic theory (electromagnetism).

This electromagnetic theory deals with the interaction between an electric field and a magnetic field. Stationary charge creates an electric field around it and moving charge creates a magnetic field around it.

The direction of the oscillation of the electric field and the magnetic field is always perpendicular to each other, and the transverse electromagnetic wave which generates from it propagates at the speed of light. The propagation of this wave is always normal to these oscillating electric and magnetic fields. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

This theory discusses how electrically charged particles interact with each other and with magnetic fields. If we talk about the interactions between them then there are four main electromagnetic interactions and these interactions are as follows :

1. The force of attraction or repulsion that acts between electric charges is...

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