•microwave region of the electromagnetic EM spectrum is considered to overlap with the
highest frequency (shortest wavelength) radio waves

•microwaves have three ranges: extremely high frequency (30 to 300 GHz), super high frequency (3 to 30 GHz), and ultra-high frequency (300 MHz to 3 GHz)

•are reflected by metal surfaces

•heat materials (if they can make atoms/molecules in the material vibrate)

•heating depends on intensity and the time that the material is exposed

•are used in communications, radar and cooking

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We decided to focus on one particular example of the savage microwave - perhaps one of the greatest  inventions for the teen human EVER...the cellular phone, the celly, the mobile device, the smartphone! 

The cellular works by sending signals to (and receiving them from) nearby towers (base stations) using waves.  Those signals come as tones and sounds that correspond with digits, but they are all transferred into signals that are well understood by receiving towers.

This form of electromagnetic energy falls between FM radio waves and microwaves.

talk. text. snap. post. whatever is ya fave, but it's all thanks to the microWAVE.

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According to reference.com, The International Telecommunications Union is the authority that regulates the use of radio waves. "It has stipulations to control users in the pursuit to avoid interference. It works in coordination with other international and national authorities to ensure the adherence to safe practices."

Radio waves were discovered by James Clerk Maxwell in 1867. There are always studies to help understand these waves and the facts on "polarization, reflection, refraction, diffraction and absorption...enable(d) scientists to develop useful technology.  Despite all the research  there are still set backs like the fact that radio waves cannot transmit a lot of data simultaneously because they're low frequency. ALSO...a big also...lots of exposure to large amounts of radio waves can cause health disorders like leukaemia and cancer!

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Very little is better than being able to change a channel, turn on an a.c., dim my lights all with the click of a button on my REMOTE CONTROL.  The basics of how it works.

•IR remote control acts as the transmitter

•Transmitter sends out pulses of infrared light that represent specific binary codes

•The codes correspond to commands (eg Power On/Off, Volume Up/Down

•IR receiver in the TV, stereo or other device transfers the pulses of light into the data that the device's microprocessor understands

•microprocessor then carries out the corresponding command.

The toaster is the next great IR use.  I utilize it for nearly every meal I have.  In a nutshell electrical energy flows into the toaster from plugged wire and the electric current flows through a series of thin filaments connected together, which then generate heat.  

Check out the IR gallery to see a detailed pic of this process.

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•X-rays were discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Röentgen.

•Röentgen noticed crystals near a “high-voltage cathode-ray tube” showed a fluorescent glow even when shielded with dark paper.

•There are two categories: hard X-rays with energies above 5-10 keV (below 0.2-0.1 nm wavelength) and soft X-rays with energies 100 eV – 5 keV (10 – 0.1 nm wavelength).

•Hard X-rays are more useful for radiography because they pass through the tissue.

•The amount of radiation you're exposed to during an X-ray depends on the tissue or organ being examined.

•X rays unfortunately do not give detailed images of the body, which is why other things like CT scans get used.

•X rays are given off by stars, nebula, used in x ray machines and can be used to investigate artwork.

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