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So what are Electromagnetic Waves?
Well to start off, electromagnetic waves do NOT require matter to travel. Electromagnetic waves can travel through space (which is a vacuum), so we can identify many bodies in space because of that.
There are several types of electromagnetic waves:
Radio Wave: The longest electromagnetic waves, with a wavelength of about 1 to 300,000,000 meters (in a vacuum), are often used for cell phones, televisions, and radios.
Microwave: With a wavelength of 1 millimeter to 1 meter, microwaves are often used to send information.
Infrared: Infrared light is often used to detect heat; it has a wavelength of 700 nanometers to 1 millimeter.
Visible Light: Visible light is the only wavelength visible to the naked eye, hence the name "visible light", and is (obviously) used by humans to see, or detect objects that interact with this wave. Its wavelength of 390 to 700 nanometers is smaller than the average bacteria.
Ultraviolet: Often known for creating stunning pictures of the universe and causing sunburns, Ultraviolet light has a wavelength of 10 to 390 nanometers. Some people can see ultraviolet light of a certain wavelength. It also creates pyrimidine dimers in DNA which is the primary cause of skin cancer.
X-Ray: Often used in, you guessed it, an X-Ray machine, with a wavelength of 0.01 to 10 nanometers (about the size of an atom), are also used to detect black holes and neutron stars.
Gamma Wave: The smallest electromagnetic wave, with a wavelength about the size of a nucleus, can kill cells, and can be used as a cure for cancer.


