Question

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between wavelengths of approximately 400 and 700 nanometers is called the _______ region.

Short answer

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between wavelengths of approximately 400 and 700 nanometers is called the visible light region.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the regions of the electromagnetic spectrum

To solve this exercise, we need to recall the different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and their respective wavelength ranges. Here's a quick overview: 1. Radio waves: > 1 millimeter 2. Microwaves: 1 millimeter - 1 meter 3. Infrared: 700 nm - 1 millimeter 4. Visible light: 400 nm - 700 nm 5. Ultraviolet: 1 nm - 400 nm 6. X-rays: 0.01 nm - 1 nm 7. Gamma rays: < 0.01 nm

Match the given wavelength range to the correct region

Now that we have the regions of the electromagnetic spectrum and their corresponding wavelength ranges, we can determine which region matches the given wavelength range of 400 to 700 nanometers. By comparing the given range to the ranges listed above, we can see that the region with wavelengths between 400 and 700 nanometers is the visible light region. So, the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between wavelengths of approximately 400 and 700 nanometers is called the visible light region.

Key concepts

Visible Light Region

The visible light region is perhaps the most familiar to us, as it constitutes the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that the human eye can perceive. Wavelengths in the visible spectrum range from about 400 nanometers (nm) to 700 nm. This spectrum appears to us as the colors violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red, in order from shortest to longest wavelength. The concept that visible light is only a tiny part of the electromagnetic spectrum can be fascinating, illustrating that there's much more to light than meets the eye.

Our daily activities, such as seeing, are influenced by this narrow band of wavelengths. For example, the blue sky, the red of a sunset, and the multitude of colors in a rainbow are all due to natural light being within this range of the spectrum. When exploring the visible light region, it's vital to emphasize that each color of visible light corresponds to a specific wavelength, with violet having the shortest wavelength and red having the longest.

Electromagnetic Spectrum Regions

The electromagnetic spectrum is an all-encompassing term for the entire range of electromagnetic radiation. Beyond what we can see, it extends from the very long wavelengths of radio waves to the exceedingly short wavelengths of gamma rays. Each region is characterized by its wavelength, frequency, and energy. The main regions of the spectrum, listed from longest wavelength to shortest, include radio waves, microwaves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays, X-rays, and gamma rays.

Understanding the different regions is critical in fields like astronomy, where telescopes are designed to detect specific types of electromagnetic radiation from space. Each type of radiation carries unique information about the cosmos. For instance, radio waves can tell us about structure of the universe, while X-rays can unveil the phenomena occurring in the high-energy realm, such as supernova explosions and black holes.

Wavelengths of Light

Wavelengths of light are fundamentally important for understanding the electromagnetic spectrum and its regions. The wavelength of an electromagnetic wave is the distance between two consecutive peaks and is typically measured in meters, with smaller fractions like millimeters, micrometers, and nanometers used for shorter wavelengths. This measurement is inversely related to both the frequency and energy of the radiation: the shorter the wavelength, the higher the frequency and the more energy the light carries.

For instance, gamma rays have very short wavelengths and thus contain a large amount of energy, which is why they are used in medical applications to kill cancer cells. On the other hand, radio waves have much longer wavelengths and, consequently, much lower energy. This characteristic makes them ideal for broadcasting audio and video signals over long distances. Knowing the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and energy allows us to both understand and harness the diverse properties of the electromagnetic spectrum.