electromagnetic spectrum

[orbsycli]

definitely not, but you explained that very well! if only i could cheers!

[sanctus]

Originally Posted by Snake

hello
today, a frien called me and asked me something about the elctromagnetic spectrum, and I wanted to hear what you guys think about it.

Wel so light travels by photons, and light is just one part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the only difference between light and lets say radio waves is the wavelength. But, if you are in a dark room (shilded from the photons and hence visible light) you can still pick up a radio station (radio waves must be present).

So , the question was if radio waves, micro waves and all the other parts of the em spectrum also traveld in photons, like light? I would really want to hear what you guys think about this.

Snake

Why some materilas absorb some wavelengths and others not is very easily seen by looking at the structure of the material. Every material has (quantized) frequencies at which the atoms can vibrate (they are called phonons if you want to know more; actually a quite amusing concept you see the vibration of the system as a particle). So if you send a signal close to a permitted vibration frequency, the system will probably aborb this energy and get exited while if you are far away from such a possible exitation then the wave passes just through.