Electromagnetic Radiation

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Electromagnetic Radiation is a form of energy that is produced by oscillating electric and magnetic disturbance, or by the movement of electrically charged particles traveling through a medium.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays. The behavior of EMR depends on its wavelength. When EMR interacts with single atoms and molecules, its behavior also depends on the amount of energy per quantum it carries.

Properties[edit | edit source]

EMR carries energy, sometimes called radiant energy, through space continuously away from the source. This is not affected by the presence of a material medium, i.e., electromagnetic waves can move through a vacuum.

Spectrum[edit | edit source]

The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. The "electromagnetic spectrum" of an object is the characteristic distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by that particular object.

Health Effects[edit | edit source]

Exposure to electromagnetic radiation can have various health effects. The type and severity of effect depends on the type of radiation, the duration, frequency, and intensity of exposure.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Electromagnetic Radiation Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD