Which of the following types of electromagnetic radiation carries the most energy?

• A. Gamma rays
• B. Microwaves
• C. Infrared radiation
• D. Visible light

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that the energy of electromagnetic radiation is directly related to its frequency by the equation \(E = h \times \nu\), where \(E\) is energy, \(h\) is Planck's constant, and \(\nu\) (nu) is the frequency of the radiation.
2. Understand that electromagnetic radiation spans a spectrum where frequency and wavelength are inversely related by \(c = \lambda \times \nu\), where \(c\) is the speed of light, \(\lambda\) is wavelength, and \(\nu\) is frequency.
3. Recognize that higher frequency corresponds to higher energy, so among the options, the type of radiation with the highest frequency will carry the most energy.
4. Compare the types of radiation given: microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, and gamma rays, noting that gamma rays have the shortest wavelength and thus the highest frequency.
5. Conclude that gamma rays carry the most energy because they have the highest frequency according to the relationship \(E = h \times \nu\).