INTRODUCTION

•      Electromagnetic waves or EM waves are waves that are created as a result of vibrations between an electric field and a magnetic field. In other words, EM waves are composed of oscillating magnetic and electric fields. Electromagnetic waves are formed when an electric field comes in contact with a magnetic field. They are hence known as 'electromagnetic' waves. EM waves are a special type of wave that can travel without a medium. Unlike sound waves and water waves, electromagnetic waves don't need a fluid, or a solid, or even air to help them travel from one place to another. EM waves can travel across the great vacuum of space. Most EM waves are invisible to the eye but detectable.

  

APPLICATION/IMPORTANCE/ADVANTAGES/DANGERS

•      Electromagnetic waves can be split into a range of frequencies. This is known as the electromagnetic spectrum. Waves in the EM spectrum include the following from the longest wavelength to the shortest wavelength. Radio waves► Microwaves► Infrared waves► Visible light► Ultraviolet ► X-rays ►Gamma rays

The waves in the various regions in the EM spectrum share similar properties but differ in wavelength, frequency, energy, and method of production. The regions in the EM spectrum have various uses and applications.

RADIO WAVES

•      Radio waves have the longest wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum. They are produced by making electrons vibrate in an antenna. They are mainly used for communications and transmitting sound and picture information over long distances.

DANGERS: Large doses of radio waves are believed to cause cancer, leukaemia and other disorders. Some people claim that the very low frequency field from overhead power cables near their homes has affected their health, although this has not been reliably proven.

MICROWAVE

   •  Microwaves have smaller wavelengths than radio waves. They are used in satellite communications, radar, television transmission and cooking. Microwaves can penetrate the atmosphere of the earth. This is the reason why they are used for satellite communications. Microwaves cause water and fat molecules to vibrate, which makes the substances hot. So we can use microwaves to cook many types of food

DANGERS: Prolonged exposure to significant levels of microwaves is known to cause "cataracts" in your eyes, which is a clouding of the lens preventing you from seeing clearly

INFRARED

•      Infrared radiation lies beyond the red end of the visible light. The amount and wavelength of radiation depends on temperature. Infrared waves are also given off by stars, lamps, flames and anything else that's warm – human beings. It is emitted by all objects. Infra-red waves are called "IR" for short. They are used for many tasks, for example, remote controls for TVs and video recorders, and physiotherapists use heat lamps to help heal sports injuries. IR is also used for short-range communications, for example between mobile phones.

DANGERS: Overheating

              VISIBLE LIGHT

•  We use light to see things. As the Sun sends so much light towards our planet, we've evolved to make use of those particular wavelengths in order to sense our environment.

DANGERS: Too much light can damage the retina in your eye. This can happen when you look at something very bright, such as the Sun. Although the damage can heal, if it's too bad it'll be permanent.

ULTRAVIOLET RAY

•      Ultraviolet waves have shorter wavelengths than the visible light and carry more energy. The sun is our main source of ultraviolet radiation. Uses for UV light include getting a sun tan, detecting forged bank notes in shops, and hardening some types of dental filling. Ultraviolet rays can also be used to kill microbes.

DANGERS: Large doses of UV can damage the retina in your eyes and can cause sunburn and even skin cancer. Fortunately, the ozone layer in the Earth's atmosphere screens us from most of the UV given off by the Sun

X-rays

•      X-rays are very high frequency waves, and carry a lot of energy. X-rays are produced using an X-ray tube. They are emitted when fast moving electrons hit a metal target. They will pass through most substances, and this makes them useful in medicine and industry to see inside things. Short wavelength X-rays can penetrate even through metals. They are used in industry to inspect welded joints for faults.

DANGERS: X-Rays can cause cell damage and cancers. This is why Radiographers in hospitals stand behind a shield when they X-ray their patients. Although the dose is not enough to put the patient at risk, they take many images each day and could quickly build up a dangerous dose themselves.

Gamma Rays

• Gamma rays lie at the other end of the electromagnetic spectrum. They are shortest in wavelength and highest in frequency. They carry the highest amount of energy, thus, they are more dangerous. Gamma rays are emitted by stars and some radioactive substances. They are used to treat cancer through the process called radiotherapy. They are also used for sterilization of medical equipment and used to detect crack on metals.

DANGERS: Gamma rays cause cell damage and can cause a variety of cancers. They cause mutations in growing tissues, so unborn babies are especially vulnerable.

CONCLUSION

You can avoid unnecessary exposure to Radio Frequency and Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation. Protect yourself from things you can control such as keeping electronic devices like laptops, tablets, and cell phones a minimum distance away from your body. If need be, buy protective shielding and learn more about Electromagnetic Waves and Radiation and how exposure can affect your health. More and more research is being conducted and published each day. Because of our open-access society, you have the ability to learn a lot on your own from the Internet or news programs to empower yourself. Put some distance between you and your electronic devices to shield from Electromagnetic waves and radiation.

Links

http://study.com/academy/lesson/electromagnetic-spectrum-and-waves-definition-categories.html
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/electromagnetic-waves
https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/toolbox/emspectrum1.html
http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emagvis.htm
http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emagmicro.htm
http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emagradio.htm
http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emaginfra.htm
http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emaguv.htm
http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emagxray.htm
https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/features/looking-through-youhow-do-x-rays-work
http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emaggamma.htm
https://www.defendershield.com/what-is-electromagnetic-radiation-why-should-you-care/