Electromagnetic Spectrum: Light Beyond Visible

Name: ________________________________ Section: __________ Date: __________

Station: __________ Group members: ________________________________________________

Goal: Use the demo to make a claim supported by (1) at least one number/readout and (2) at least one sanity check.

Station card: EM Spectrum (6–8 minutes) Artifact: a completed “spectrum card” for one band.

1. Choose (or you’re assigned) one band: Radio / IR / Visible / UV / X-ray / Gamma.
2. Use the demo to record:
   • one representative wavelength (with unit),
   • the corresponding photon energy (with unit),
   • one object example (Objects tab),
   • one telescope/detector example (Telescopes tab).
3. Write one sentence:
   • “This band is good for observing ____ because ____.”

Word bank + sanity checks Word bank:

• Wavelength $\lambda$: “size” of the wave; longer $\lambda$ $\to$ lower photon energy.
• Photon energy: energy per photon (not the same thing as brightness).
• Band names: labels we give to wavelength ranges (radio $\rightarrow$ gamma).

Key relationship (photon energy scaling):

$$E \propto \frac{1}{\lambda}$$

Sanity checks:

• Ordering: Radio (lowest energy) $\rightarrow$ … $\rightarrow$ Gamma (highest energy).
• Shorter wavelength should correspond to larger energy readouts.
• Use convenient units: nm/$\mu\mathrm{m}$/mm/m for $\lambda$; eV/keV/MeV for energy.