Generally Electromagnetic radiation is classified by wavelength along the electromagnetic spectrum as follows: |
Generally Electromagnetic radiation is classified by wavelength along the electromagnetic spectrum as follows: |
Generally Electromagnetic radiation is classified by wavelength along the electromagnetic spectrum as follows:
Wavelength | Frequency | Energy | |
---|---|---|---|
Gamma rays | < 10 pm | >30.0 EHz | >19.9E-15 J |
X-rays | < 10 nm | >30.0 PHz | >19.9E-18 J |
Extreme UV | < 200 nm | >1.5 PHz | >993E-21 J |
Near UV | < 380 nm | >789 THz | >523E-21 J |
Visible | < 780 nm | >384 THz | >255E-21 J |
Near IR | < 2.5 um | >120 THz | >79.5E-21 J |
Mid IR | < 50 um | >6.00 THz | >3.98E-21 J |
Far IR | < 1 mm | >300 GHz | >199E-24J |
Microwaves | < 100mm | >3.0 GHz | >1.99e-24J |
Ultrahigh Frequency Radio | <1m | >300 MHz | >1.99e-25J |
Very High Frequency Radio | <10m | >30 MHz | >2.05e-26J |
Shortwave Radio | <180m | >1.7 MHz | >1.13e-27J |
Medium Wave (AM) Radio | <650m | >650 KHz | >4.31e-28J |
Longwave Radio | <10Km | >30 KHz | >1.98e-29J |
Very Low Frequency Radio | >10Km | <30KHz | <1.99e-29J |
While the above classification scheme is generally accurate, in reality there is often some overlap between neighboring types of electromagnetic radiation. For example some low energy gamma-rays actually have a longer wavelength than some high energy X-rays. This is possible because originally "gamma-ray" was the name given to the photons generated from [nuclear decay]?, whereas X-rays on the other hand were generated by electronic transitions involving highly energetic inner electrons. Therefore the distinction between gamma-ray and x-ray is related to the radiation source rather than the radiation wavelength. Generally, nuclear transitions are much more energetic than electronic transitions, so most gamma-rays are more energetic than x-rays. However, there are a few low-energy nuclear transitions (eg. the 14.4 keV nuclear transition of Fe-57) that produce gamma-rays that are less energetic than some of the higher energy x-rays.