Hi.
Welcome to part three in the saga.
I know It's been a while.
Quick recap,
I just graduated with a degree in physics.
I may or may not have a job.
I'm looking for 101 things to do with a physics degree...
Science it is!
For now.
Which brings me here.
Today is about something I've wanted to get off my chest.
No... not that.
Possibly that,
but anyways
I want to bring you all in on a secret of mine
and Einstein, and Newton, and Maxwell, and Faraday.
I just wanna come out and say it
but I don't wanna spoil the surprise!
You can't have your cake before you bake it...
then you're going to have to bare with me through the necessary background
which is almost as cool as the secret itself
So...
light is electromagnetic radiation
Say what?
Light is electromagnetic radiation, an electromagnetic wave, that is
a changing, oscillating electric field combined with
a changing, oscillating magnetic field
Oh you forget what electric and magnetic
fields are?
I'll remind you!
Consider a gravitational field.
It's something you enter, and feel gravity.
The gravitational field of the earth
attracts things and makes them fall.
An electric field is something you enter
and feel an electric force like when a
charged balloon makes your hair stand up
and in a magnetic field, you feel a
magnetic force so combine these changing
and sinusoidally oscillating electric
and magnetic fields and you get an EM wave.
Well, now electromagnetic radiation
should be in your everyday vocabulary
What's this? It's a traffic violation bro
I didn't even see the electromagnetic
radiation turn red bro, I just ran
straight through it.
Are you ready?
(whispers) Are you ready?
Are you ready for me to reveal my secret?
All right, here goes:
X-Rays, microwaves, radio waves and gamma rays
are all the same thing as visible light
THEY'RE ALL ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
(oh my god)
Whose mind is blown? MINE IS!
Well now you might ask: Why are visible light and radio waves totally fine
when x-rays and gamma rays are doing all
kinds of damage to ya?
I can explain.
Pick me!
X-rays and gamma rays have a higher
frequency of oscillation than does
visible light which is more slow
therefore they have more energy and can
do more damage
Think of it this way: when you head bang
more quickly
it takes more energy than a subtle
graceful headbang. X-rays are like the
hardcore head-banging waves, while
visible light is like the proper, British headbangers.
Well, now you know something.
Visible light and x-rays and radio waves and gamma rays
are all the same darn thing:
electromagnetic radiation.
Go tell your friends.
Until next time.
