WavesTopic Summary
Topic Summary: Electromagnetic Spectrum
Part of Electromagnetic Spectrum — GCSE Physics
This topic summary covers Topic Summary: Electromagnetic Spectrum within Electromagnetic Spectrum for GCSE Physics. Revise Electromagnetic Spectrum in Waves for GCSE Physics with 15 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 13 of 13 in this topic. Use this topic summary to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 13 of 13
Practice
15 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
Topic Summary: Electromagnetic Spectrum
Key Terms
- EM wave: transverse wave of electric and magnetic fields
- Ionising: can remove electrons from atoms (UV, X-ray, gamma)
- c: speed of light = 3 × 10⁸ m/s in vacuum
- Infrared: thermal radiation, longer than visible
Spectrum Order (Low → High Frequency)
- Radio → Microwave → Infrared → Visible → UV → X-ray → Gamma
- Wavelength DECREASES left to right
- Energy INCREASES left to right
Key Equations
- v = f × λ (use c = 3 × 10⁸ m/s)
- All EM: same speed in vacuum
Exam Tips
- Mnemonic: "Raging Martians Invaded Venus Using X-ray Guns"
- Ionising = UV, X-ray, Gamma only
- Higher frequency = higher energy = shorter wavelength
- Always link hazard to ionisation for full marks