Electromagnetic Spectrum

Which has the SHORTEST wavelength and, therefore, the highest frequency/most energy

• Radio waves
• Ultraviolet Rays
• Gamma Rays
• X-rays

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Which section of the spectrum is the ONLY one we can see?

• X-rays
• Visible Light
• Gamma Rays
• Ultraviolet Rays

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Which of the following electromagnetic waves is given off as heat? 

• Radio Waves
• Infrared Rays
• Visible Light
• Gamma Rays

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-4

Which of the following electromagnetic waves has the lowest energy?

• gamma ray
• infrared wave
• visible light wave
• microwave

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-1

Quasars are extremely distant celestial bodies. Investigators using a special telescope determined that a certain quasar was emitting waves with a frequency of 1.41 x 10⁹ Hz. Using the electromagnetic spectrum provided, investigators were most likely using a telescope that detects -

• microwaves

• visible light

• x-rays

• gamma rays

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

Black holes emit tremendous amounts of energy which result in astronomers using many different means of technology to gather information. Instruments such as the GALEX satellite and Spitzer Space Telescope use different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum to gather data about these strange celestial objects. To view black holes, the GALEX typically operates at a frequency of about 1.3 X 10¹⁵ Hz while the Spitzer Space Telescope operates at 2.2 X 10¹² Hz.

Which two portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are astronomers using to detect information about black holes?

• Ultraviolet and X-Ray

• Gamma Ray and X-Ray

• Ultraviolet and Infrared

• Infrared and Radio

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

NGSS.HS-PS4-4

The Earth’s atmosphere allows some types of electromagnetic radiation through while others may be blocked or absorbed. Due to this, astronomers developed satellites and telescopes which orbit outside of Earth’s atmosphere. The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite took measurements from 1989 to 1993 with an effort to gather information on the background temperature in space resulting from the Big Bang. This was the first step toward confirming data gathered in the 1960’s when an Earth-bound telescope picked up static in the frequency range of 3 x 10⁸ to 3 x 10¹¹ Hz.

Which portion of the electromagnetic spectrum were astronomers detecting?

• Microwave

• Ultraviolet

• X-Ray

• Infrared

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2