Electromagnetic frequency is measured in Hertz and determines the energy carried by a wave. The electromagnetic spectrum ranges from low energy radio waves to high energy gamma rays. The frequency of a wave does not change when it passes from one medium to another, but its wavelength and speed do.
Electromagnetic frequency is a measure of how many times the peak of a wave passes through a particular point each second. It is measured in Hertz, which can also be written simply as “per second”. The frequency of a wave is one of its fundamental principles, and the range of possible frequencies makes up something known as the electromagnetic spectrum. This ranges from low energy radio waves to high energy gamma rays. Unlike its wavelength, a wave’s electromagnetic frequency does not change.
Electromagnetic radiation is a type of wave that travels at the speed of light. It is a transverse wave, which means that it swings up and down in the opposite direction to which it is moving. The electromagnetic frequency of a wave is defined as how many times the peak of this oscillation moves past a point each second. This has an important effect on the properties of the wave, including its energy. The wavelength, on the other hand, is the distance between two peaks of the wave or, in other words, the length of a complete cycle.
The electromagnetic frequency of a wave is directly related to the amount of energy carried by the wave. Low-frequency electromagnetic waves, for example, have small amounts of energy and are therefore relatively safe. These are more commonly known as radio waves. Low-frequency waves, such as radio waves and microwaves, have long wavelengths.
If the electromagnetic frequency of a wave is high, the wave carries a large amount of energy. Conversely, the wavelength of the wave in this situation is very short. X-rays and gamma rays are two examples of high frequency electromagnetic waves which is why these types are dangerous when humans are exposed to them. Visible light is also a type of electromagnetic wave with a frequency somewhere around the center of the electromagnetic spectrum.
When a wave passes from one medium to another, for example from air to water, it changes direction due to a phenomenon known as refraction. This is because the wave changes speed when it enters a material with a different density. A common mistake is to assume that this changes the electromagnetic frequency of the wave. This is not the case, because the frequency of a wave stays the same, regardless of the medium. It is the wavelength and the speed of the wave that change, resulting in a slower wave of the same energy.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
