Explain important properties of the electromagnetic spectrum Describe the important characteristics of light Discuss and calculate the speed of light White light is actually light that can be separated into the six colors of the visible spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet When most people think of light, they think only of this visible light Not all light however, is visible to the human eye Visible light makes up only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum The electromagnetic spectrum is a continuum of all electromagnetic waves arranged according to frequency and wavelength. Visible light is the particular type of electromagnetic radiation that can be seen by the human eye Some invisible types of electromagnetic radiation include X rays, microwaves, and radio waves Light has been described as a particle, a wave, or a combination of both The wave model is most commonly used Electromagnetic light waves are composed of oscillating electric and magnetic fields Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves Each type of electromagnetic wave has a unique frequency and wavelength In addition, the electric and magnetic fields are at right angles to each other All electromagnetic waves move at the speed of light In a vacuum, electromagnetic radiation travel at a speed of 3.0 x 10 8 m/s (the speed of light) In air however, light travels at a slightly slower speed than it would in a vacuum The relationship between frequency, wavelength, and the speed of light is illustrated by the following equation The AM radio band extends from 5.4 x 10 5 Hz to 1.7 x 10 6 Hz. What are the longest and shortest wavelengths in this frequency range? 5.6 x 10 2 m 1.8 x 10 2 m