Radio Waves

Radio waves are the basic building block of radio communication. The range of the radio spectrum is 3 kilohertz to 300 gigahertz. They have wavelengths from 1 millimeter to 100 kilometers. This means they the longest wavelength and the lowest frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum.

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Radio Wave Diagram

Source: “Radio Waves.” Univie, www.univie.ac.at/geographie/fachdidaktik/FD/site/external_htmls/imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/ems/radio.gif.

How Radio Waves Are Used

Medicine

Radio waves are used to transmit the pattern of a heartbeat through a monitor at a patient's home to a nearby hospital.

Industry

Radios are also used in industry, mainly in the transportation business. Radio waves can also be used to provide communication on construction sites.

Science

Radio waves from outside the earth are detected using in radio telescopes. Radio waves are picked up when they hit the antenna of the radio telescope.

Consumer Goods

These waves are used in the remote control models which people buy. They are also used in radios, televisions and wireless headphones.

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