Download CW-EMSpectrumWebquest

Physics: Light
Name ______________________
Part I- WEBQUEST: Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum via NASA.gov
We have learned waves transmit energy by two means, mechanical (such as the wind
and slinky) and electromagnetic (light). You will need access to the Internet in order to
complete the questions/activities below. Start your webquest by clicking on the link EM
Spectrum Webquest (http://missionscience.nasa.gov/ems/01_intro.html) on my
webpage. Take a look at the picture of the Electromagnetic Spectrum and then click at
the bottom of the page [Anatomy of an Electromagnetic Wave]
1. Waves we cannot actually see (unlike ripples) and those NOT needing a medium
to travel within belong to this category of waves? _____________________
2. Waves we cannot actually see (unlike ripples) and those needing a medium to
travel within belong to this category of waves? _____________________
3. Why cannot sound travel through outer space?
4. How do astronauts overcome this obstacle when communicating in space?
5. Who is Heinrich Hertz and what did he discover? (be brief)
6. From the picture above, how do radio, television, light, and X-rays differ from
each other since all are a form of light wave?
7. Which wave type has the longest wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum?
___________________
the shortest wavelength?_______________________
At the right side of the webpage click on the appropriate topic
WAVE BEHAVIOR:
1. Define what is reflection
2. Define what is refraction
RADIO WAVES:
1. Regarding size radio waves have the _________ wavelength compared to the other
types of EMS.
2. What types of technology utilize radio waves?
3. Antenna size of TVs and cell phones is related to the size of the _________ used by
the technology.
4. Why do radio telescopes have to be so large compared to optical telescopes?
5. One of the largest radio telescopes arrays is located where?
MICROWAVES:
1. The range of wavelength for microwaves measures from ________ cm to ________
cm.
2. Microwave towers, looking like they have drums attached to them transmit these
types of information.
____________ and ______________
3. Microwave radar is more detailed than radio wave radar because the wavelength of
microwaves is __________ relative to radio’s.
4. What the heck is the “cosmic microwave background”? What significance is this
discovery?
INFRARED:
1. What does “thermal” waves mean?
2. Short infrared wavelengths are used in what technology?
3. How big is a micron? (use scientific notation)
4. Can humans actually see (without any aid) infrared radiation? _______
5. What phenomenon regarding chlorophyll allows near infrared radiation to help
diagnose vegetative diseases?
VISIBLE LIGHT:
1. What gives rise to a rainbow...how is it created?
2. List the colors of the visible spectrum (the rainbow) in order of shortest wavelength
to longest.
3. What determines the color of an object?
4. What type of structure within our eye detects color?
ULTRAVIOLET:
1. What category of animal sees in the UV spectrum instead of the visible light humans
can see?
2. UV rays are what causes this to the human skin if too many are absorbed?
3. What gas is chiefly responsible for blocking most of the UV radiation of the Sun?
4. Many scientists like to study cosmic objects in the UV spectrum because objects
giving off large amounts of UV light are typically very _________ and _________.
X-RAYS:
1. Who first discovered X-rays?
2. The first X-rays were photographs of these body parts:
3. Why do bones show up on an X-ray photograph and not skin?
4. NASA's Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit uses X-rays to do what?
GAMMA RAYS:
1. Why are gamma rays not able to reflect off a mirror’s surface?
2. What are two ways in which gamma rays are produced?
3. Relatively, how much energy is a gamma ray burst compared to the Sun’s energy
output?
Part II -Electromagnetic Spectrum in the Cosmos
Google “cool cosmos learn about infrared” and click on the first link.
1. What is infrared light?
2. What do the different colors mean?
3. How is it helpful?
At the top of the page there is a menu. Click on “Cosmic Kids  Do People Glow in the
Dark?”
4. Click on the people and look at them in infrared. What is one thing you can learn
about people based on these images?
5. How would these people look in the pictures if they were taken in a dark room?
Explain.
At the top of the page, click on “Cosmic Kids  Infrared Zoo.”
6. How do the infrared pictures of mammals compare to the infrared pictures of reptiles
and amphibians? Why?
At the top of the page, click on “Cosmic Classroom  Multiwavelength Astronomy.”
Click on “Introduction” and work your way through the tour to answer the questions.
Introduction
7. How do gamma waves compare to radio waves? Use the words wavelength and
frequency in your explanation.
8. How fast is the speed of light?
Overview
9. Why do astronomers need to use cameras that pick up different types of light other
than just visible light?
10. What is a false color?
Table
11. List the type of waves that must be used to see each object:
a. Planets
b. Neutron Stars
c. Quasars
d. Comets
Our Solar System
12. Explain the differences we can see between planets and our sun when we look at
them using cameras of different wavelengths.