Radio Waves

• Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation that have longer wavelengths and lower frequencies compared to other types in the electromagnetic spectrum.
• They are produced by electrical circuits, machines, or certain types of stars, including our Sun.
• Like all electromagnetic waves, radio waves can travel through empty space at a speed of approximately 300,000 kilometers per second.
• The range of frequency for radio waves is from about 3 kilohertz (kHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz).
• They are not harmful in nature due to their longer wavelength and lower frequency. Hence, the energy carried is less compared to other types of waves in the electromagnetic spectrum.
• The main uses of radio waves include transmission of information for television broadcasts, FM and AM radio broadcasts, mobile data, wi-fi, and certain types of radar.
• Radio waves can also be reflected, refracted and diffracted; these properties are utilised for long-distance broadcasting.
• Communication satellites, which are situated in space, use radio waves to communicate with devices on Earth for services such as GPS, television broadcasts, and weather observations.
• Radio waves are reflected by the Earth’s ionosphere which allows certain radio broadcasts to be received at very long distances to traditional line-of-sight boundaries.
• The study of radio waves includes understanding their properties like amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed.