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The Question
(Submitted March 07, 1997)
What are the respective wavelength and frequency ranges for
the main six subdivisions of the electromagnetic spectrum
(i.e gamma, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, radio)
and what is the name of the quanta of a gamma-ray?
The Answer
There are no "hard" numbers for the wavelengths/frequencies of the
various
parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, what is considered a
high-energy X-ray and what is considered a low-energy gamma-ray is very
blurry. But here is a "ball park" guide:
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Frequency Range (Hz)
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Wavelength Range
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Type of Radiation
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10E20-10E24
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10E-12 - 10E-16 m
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gamma-rays
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10E17 - 10E20
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1 nm - 1 pm
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x-rays
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10E15 - 10E17
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400 - 1 nm
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ultraviolet light
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4.3 - 7.5x10E14
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700-400 nm
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visible light
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10E12 - 10E14
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2.5 um - 700 nm
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infrared light
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10E8 - 10E12
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1 mm - 2.5 um
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microwaves
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10E0 - 10E8
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10e8 - 1 m
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radio waves
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All quanta in the electromagnetic spectrum, regardless of its wavelength,
is called a photon.
You can read more about the electromagnetic spectrum at:
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/introduction/introduction.html
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l1/emspectrum.html
Regards,
Laura Whitlock
for the Ask a High-Energy Astronomer Team
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