Which of the following statements correctly describes the relationship between wavelength and energy for different forms of electromagnetic radiation?

• A. Gamma rays have shorter wavelengths and higher energies than visible light.
• B. Radio waves have higher energies than ultraviolet radiation.
• C. Infrared radiation has shorter wavelengths than X-rays.
• D. Visible light has the longest wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the fundamental relationship between the energy (E) of electromagnetic radiation and its wavelength (\lambda), which is given by the equation: \[E = \frac{hc}{\lambda}\] where \(h\) is Planck's constant and \(c\) is the speed of light. This shows that energy is inversely proportional to wavelength.
2. Understand that shorter wavelengths correspond to higher energies, and longer wavelengths correspond to lower energies. This means that as you move from radio waves to gamma rays on the electromagnetic spectrum, the wavelength decreases and the energy increases.
3. Identify the order of electromagnetic radiation from longest wavelength (lowest energy) to shortest wavelength (highest energy): Radio waves > Microwaves > Infrared > Visible light > Ultraviolet > X-rays > Gamma rays.
4. Evaluate each statement by comparing the wavelengths and energies of the types of radiation mentioned, using the order above. For example, gamma rays have shorter wavelengths and higher energies than visible light, which aligns with the inverse relationship between wavelength and energy.
5. Conclude which statement correctly describes the relationship by confirming it matches the known order and the inverse relationship between wavelength and energy.