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Energy Carried by Electromagnetic Waves
Textbook pp
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The Energy of a Photon The amount of energy carried by a photon depends on its frequency or wavelength. The higher the frequency (or the shorter the wave) the proportionately more the energy it carries.
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This means that higher frequency EM waves come from more energetic - or hotter - sources.
Gamma ray bursts lasting more than two seconds are caused by massive exploding stars at the end of their lives.
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Because higher frequency waves carry more energy and are small enough to enter cells, they can be more harmful to life, causing mutations, cancer, or even death.
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Transparency What an EM wave can pass through depends on its frequency. For example, FM radio waves CAN pass through solid objects, while AM radio waves CANNOT.
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Our atmosphere and magnetosphere allows some waves through but not others.
Harmful Gamma Rays, X-Rays, and some UV light waves are blocked.
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For example, Earth’s magnetosphere protects it from the Solar Wind, which contains high frequency EM waves.
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Telescopes on earth are limited as to what they can “see,” due to our atmosphere’s blocking of most EM waves, and its actual gas molecules deflecting or “scattering” the light.
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Space telescopes beyond our atmosphere are able to view objects emitting non-optical light, as well as optical lit objects, without distortion.
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