Episode 312: Preparation for Electromagnetic Waves Topic

This series of resources, produced by the Institute of Physics, develops the idea that there are several types of electromagnetic radiation, similar to light, all of which travel at the same speed in empty space. The topic is split into learning episodes which are self-contained activities that take one or two lessons.

In this series, the learning episodes are:

Episode 313: Polarisation

Episode 314: Electromagnetic radiation

Episode 315: Inverse square law

Following these episodes, students will:

1. know some of the methods by which light can be polarised

2. be able to predict what will be seen or detected with a combination of filters and different orientations of detectors and transmitters

3. understand why only transverse waves can be polarised

4. appreciate that polarisation of light and microwaves tell us that electromagnetic waves are transverse

5. know the general properties of electromagnetic waves including the order of magnitude of the wavelength of each region and how each is detected.