Middle School Physical Science: Electromagnetic Radiation - Electromagnetic Waves — Flashcards

Electromagnetic radiation consists of waves of the electromagnetic field, which propagate through space and carry momentum and electromagnetic radiant energy.
 

Wave or Particle?: Electromagnetic radiation behaves like waves of energy most of the time, but sometimes it behaves like particles.    
As evidence accumulated for this dual nature of electromagnetic radiation, the famous physicist Albert Einstein developed a new theory about electromagnetic radiation, called the wave-particle theory. This theory explains how electromagnetic radiation can behave as both a wave and as a particle.

Basically, when an electron returns to a lower energy level, it is thought to give off a tiny “packet” of energy called a photon. The amount of energy in a photon may vary. It depends on the frequency of electromagnetic radiation. The higher the frequency is, the more energy a photon has.