Which of the following statements best describes visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum?

• A. Visible light is found at lower frequencies than radio waves.
• B. Visible light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is invisible to the human eye.
• C. Visible light has the shortest wavelength and highest energy in the electromagnetic spectrum.
• D. Visible light consists of electromagnetic waves with wavelengths approximately between 400 nm and 700 nm.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes a range of electromagnetic waves ordered by wavelength and frequency, from radio waves (longest wavelength, lowest frequency) to gamma rays (shortest wavelength, highest frequency).
2. Understand that visible light is a specific portion of this spectrum that the human eye can detect, typically with wavelengths between about 400 nm (violet) and 700 nm (red).
3. Compare visible light to other types of electromagnetic radiation: radio waves have longer wavelengths and lower frequencies than visible light, while ultraviolet and X-rays have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies.
4. Recognize that visible light is not invisible to the human eye; it is precisely the range of wavelengths that humans can see, so the statement claiming it is invisible is incorrect.
5. Note that visible light does not have the shortest wavelength or highest energy in the electromagnetic spectrum; gamma rays and X-rays have shorter wavelengths and higher energies.