Radio Waves in Society

Sean Farnsworth

Radio Waves

As learnt in the labs and lectures, Radio Waves are EM (electromagnetic) radiation which are part of the EM spectrum who’s wavelengths are longer than infrared light

Like all other electromagnetic waves, radio waves travel at light speed (299,792,458 m/s), however radio frequency waves range from 3 KHz to 300GHz

Although we have been taught about these types of waves, this presentation will demonstrate my knowledge on other radio waves which are not actually associated with radio’s.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is a service that allows devices to transmit data over a wireless network.

It works in the same way as a ‘walkie talkie’, but instead of sound waves, the Wi-Fi connection carries a lot more data in a radio wave sent from a wireless antenna.

Vic Hayes is known as the father of Wi-Fi however, the most notable turning point for Wi-Fi was 1999 in which the Wi-Fi Alliance was formed as a trade association called ‘Wi-Fi’.

Advantages of Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is an unlicensed radio radio spectrum without regular approval from individual access points.

There is a wide, extensive range of Wi-Fi products on the market for a reasonable price and continue to drop due to competition between providers.

Wi-Fi supports roaming which means that users can move around and the Wi-Fi connection will change depending on the best available access point

Disadvantages of Wi-Fi

The installation of Wi-Fi all around the UK could cost a fair bit of money

Due to the power used to make Wi-Fi possible, the devices can get hot and therefore be a danger when they or the battery become too hot.

Due to Wi-Fi using the spectrum 2.4GHz, which is the same as BlueTooth, cordless phones and other appliances, the Wi-Fi connection can become crowded and lose quality.

Infrared

Infrared light is electromagnetic radioactive waves, similar to radio waves, whose wavelength are longer than visible light.

The wavelengths correspond to a frequency range approximately 1 to 400THz, however it mainly stands out as it includes most of the thermal radiation from objects near room temperature.

Infrared is responsible for many aspects of visual representation, such as Night Vision, Thermography, Tracking, Imaging and Astrology

Medical use

In medicine, there are a few types of waves that are used in order to diagnose patients and develop on other healthcare.

MRI: MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) uses radio waves to penetrate the skin and show a detailed image of muscle and other ligaments that cannot be viewed using a normal X-Ray.

X-Ray: X-Rays use a different kind of radioactive wave. Gamma Rays are used in X-Ray as they are smaller in wave length, however they emit a higher energy than ultraviolet waves.

Microwaves

Microwaves use radio waves that are between 1mm and 1 meter in length, which frequencies are between 300MHz and 300GHz. Unlike gamma rays, Microwaves do not have sufficient energy to change the nucleus/substance of a cell through ionization

The way in which Microwave Ovens heat food, is through using microwaves, however they heat up and excite the polarized molecules within food.

Bibliography

Wi-Fi image - http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/wireless-network-1a.jpg Vic Hayes image - http://www.ieee.org/ucm/groups/public/@ieee/@web/@org/@about/documents/images/30020352.jpg Disadvantages of Wi-Fi - http://www.bwif.org/wifi_disadvantages.htmlMicrowave image - http://www.revisionworld.co.uk/files/190_microwaves.jpg Inside microwave image - http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/aluminum-microwave-2.jpg