Radiofrequency radiation

• Pages: 4-6

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Radiofrequency radiation

3.1. Electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is the emission of energy in the form of waves

transmitted through space as time varying or oscillating electric and magnetic fields.

Figure 2 shows the electromagnetic spectrum, with the frequency and location in the

spectrum of radiation and field, and typical applications. Radiofrequency radiation is a

subset of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging in frequency from 100 kHz to 300 GHz.

RF radiation is also often referred to as non-ionizing radiation, although non-ionizing

radiation also includes, for example, the infrared and visible spectrums.

Figure 2. The electromagnetic spectrum

The wavelength is the distance between corresponding points of successive waves

and the frequency is the number of waves that pass a given point in 1 second. The

quantities are related and determine the characteristics of electromagnetic radiation: the

shorter the wavelength, the higher the frequency. At a given frequency, the wavelength

depends on the velocity of propagation and therefore will also depend on the properties

of the medium through which the radiation passes. The wavelength normally quoted is

that in a vacuum or air, the difference being insignificant. The linking parameter with

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