Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation
Aligned to HS-PS4 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Waves carry energy and are described by wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. The electromagnetic spectrum ranges from radio waves to gamma rays.
Worked example
Visible light is one part of the spectrum; radio waves have longer wavelengths and lower frequency, while X-rays have shorter wavelengths and higher energy.
Practice questions
- What three properties describe a wave?
- Order radio waves and X-rays by wavelength.
- How does frequency relate to energy in light?
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Ondas y Radiación Electromagnética
Las ondas transportan energía y se describen por su longitud de onda, frecuencia y amplitud. El espectro electromagnético va desde las ondas de radio hasta los rayos gamma.
Ejemplo: La luz visible es una parte del espectro; las ondas de radio tienen longitudes de onda más largas y menor frecuencia, mientras que los rayos X tienen longitudes de onda más cortas y mayor energía.
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