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The Electromagnetic Spectrum Unit

"The Electromagnetic Spectrum" shows the shortest, most energetic wavelengths at the left and the longest, least energetic to the right, illustrated as a long, partially colored strip that ends in arrows. From left to right, the types of light are paired with their measurements: gamma ray (0.000001 to 0.01 nanometers), X-ray (0.01 to 10 nanometers), ultraviolet (10 to 380 nanometers), visible light (380 to 780 nanometers), infrared (780 nanometers to 0.3 millimeters), microwave (0.3 millimeters to 10 centimeters), radio (10 centimeters to 10 meters). On the graphic, visible light is represented by a rainbow of colors: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. The background is largely purple.
Gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet light, visible light (the visible rainbow), infrared light, microwaves, and radio waves are all forms of light (also called electromagnetic radiation). Together, they make up the electromagnetic spectrum. Each band of light has a different range of wavelengths: Gamma rays are the shortest and radio waves are the longest.
NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STScI)
Levels
  • Intermediate (6-8)
Material Type
  • Lesson Plan
  • Activity/Hands-on
  • Unit (of Study)
Heliophysics Big Ideas
  • Big Idea 2.3 – The Sun is the primary source of light…
NGSS
  • ESS2 - Earth's Systems
  • PS4 - Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer
  • PS3 - Energy
Heliophysics Topics
  • Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • Energy
  • Light
  • Sun
Related Missions
  • James Webb Space Telescope (Astro)
Material Cost per Learner Free
Language English

Students build simple spectroscopes to study visible light. Lesson plans: Simple Spectroscope; Project Visible Spectra; Cereal Box Spectroscope; Red Shift, Blue Shift; Wavelength and Energy; and Resonating Atmosphere. (Click Here)