Electromagnetic radiation: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 15:53, 25 April 2012

electromagnetic radiation

Energy propagated in the form of an advancing electric and magnetic field disturbance.

The term radiation, alone, is commonly used for this type of energy, although it actually has a broader meaning. In the classical wave theory of light (or electromagnetic theory) the propagation is thought of as a continuous wavelike disturbance of the electric and magnetic fields, which oscillate in planes orthogonal to each other and to the direction of propagation. The quantum theory of electromagnetic radiation adds the perspective that these disturbances also have particle-like attributes, being quantized into photons of minimum energy that have finite momentum. The observable properties and physical effects of various portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are of considerable importance in meteorology and are discussed under their respective names.
See cosmic rays, gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet radiation, visible radiation, infrared radiation, microwave radiation, radio waves.

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-<div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">[[Energy]] propagated in the form of an advancing [[electric]] and [[magnetic  field]] disturbance.</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">The term [[radiation]], alone, is commonly used for this type of energy, although it actually has  a broader meaning. In the classical [[wave theory of light]] (or [[electromagnetic theory]]) the propagation  is thought of as a continuous wavelike [[disturbance]] of the electric and magnetic fields,  which oscillate in planes [[orthogonal]] to each other and to the direction of propagation. The  [[quantum theory]] of electromagnetic radiation adds the perspective that these disturbances also  have particle-like attributes, being quantized into [[photons]] of minimum energy that have finite  [[momentum]]. The observable properties and physical effects of various portions of the [[electromagnetic  spectrum]] are of considerable importance in meteorology and are discussed under their  respective names. <br/>''See'' [[cosmic rays]], [[gamma rays]], [[x-rays]], [[ultraviolet radiation]], [[visible radiation]],  [[infrared radiation]], [[microwave radiation]], [[radio waves]].</div><br/> </div>
+<div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">[[energy|Energy]] propagated in the form of an advancing [[electric field|electric]] and [[magnetic field|magnetic  field]] disturbance.</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">The term [[radiation]], alone, is commonly used for this type of energy, although it actually has  a broader meaning. In the classical [[wave theory of light]] (or [[electromagnetic theory]]) the propagation  is thought of as a continuous wavelike [[disturbance]] of the electric and magnetic fields,  which oscillate in planes [[orthogonal]] to each other and to the direction of propagation. The  [[quantum theory]] of electromagnetic radiation adds the perspective that these disturbances also  have particle-like attributes, being quantized into [[photons]] of minimum energy that have finite  [[momentum]]. The observable properties and physical effects of various portions of the [[electromagnetic spectrum|electromagnetic  spectrum]] are of considerable importance in meteorology and are discussed under their  respective names. <br/>''See'' [[cosmic rays]], [[gamma rays]], [[x-rays]], [[ultraviolet radiation]], [[visible radiation]],  [[infrared radiation]], [[microwave radiation]], [[radio waves]].</div><br/> </div>
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