Are the different types of electromagnetic radiation just based on arbitrary divisions or is there specific properties each type has within their respective wavelength range?
In: Physics
If you look at just EM radiation from a physics point of view, it’s a spectrum – increasing frequencies / wavelengths of photons.
However, if you look at how EM radiation interacts with materials, you can start having categories, because interaction with materials is based on what’s absorbed by the atoms, what’s absorbed into molecules (and the intra-molecular bonds between the atoms in the molecule), and what’s absorbed or reflected or refracted by the spacing and the crystal (or pattern) structure of how the atoms are placed. Some effects are particle effects (absorption, including partial absorption like color effects, and transparency), others are wave effects (reflection, refraction, diffusion, etc.). Metals interact with radio and microwave frequencies, but not with visible light frequencies, etc. etc.
Latest Answers