Electromagnetism and its forms

[J.C.MacSwell]

I think this belongs in one of the mechanics threads' date=' and I'm pretty sure it fits here, but feel free to move it.

 

Anyways, I know that things like radio waves, light, and microwaves all fit under the Electromagnetism category. I'm curious to know what fits under the same category, so anyone interested in making/contributing to a list would be welcomed. Also, if someone could give me a basic reason why these fit under the same category, that'd be nice. I'll try my best to understand it.

 

Plus, are there ways to convert between these forms? Can you, for example, convert radio waves to visible light? Or could you possibly piggyback these things, like by (ignore practical uses, just can this be done) putting light waves on with the radio waves in order to make the waves visible?

 

I don't know where I'm headed with this, and I don't know that anyone wants to find out, but it always is nice to know [/quote']

 

If you get in a rocket and accelerate away from x-rays at some point they become visible light. Similarly for radio waves if you accelerate toward them.

[Rasori]

So, if you accelerate away from light it becomes radio waves eventually, and towards it it becomes gamma rays or x-rays? I understand how it works, but that's interesting. Can magnets pull or push photons or other EM waves to different speeds to change their forms? Also, is electricity included with the EM spectrum, and where if it is?

 

EDIT: Come to think of it, I believe I heard that electricity doesn't travel at the speed of light, so that means it isn't I think. But my understanding is limited, so the question stands

[swansont]

So' date=' if you accelerate away from light it becomes radio waves eventually, and towards it it becomes gamma rays or x-rays? I understand how it works, but that's interesting. Can magnets pull or push photons or other EM waves to different speeds to change their forms? Also, is electricity included with the EM spectrum, and where if it is?

[/quote']

 

Technically it will never be a gamma ray, since gammas come from nuclear interactions, by definition. A confusing aspect of the EM spectrum is that some bands are demarcated by energy, and some are by source, and there is overlap of many of the bands.

 

Electricity can give off EM radiation, but is not that itself - it's the movement of electrons. Magnets don't exert forces on photons.

[J.C.MacSwell]

Any "theoretical" upper limit on EM radiation. (seriously)

 

Could a "Rogue Wave" single photon come and wipe us out while we are carefully scanning the heavens for threatening asteroids?

[Rasori]

Magnets don't exert force on photons. So then a photon couldn't exert a force on a magnetic field, either? Like, if you have an uber-efficient magnet (creates an extremely strong force, but only weighs a couple of grams), could you put a whole lot of light into its magnetic field and move it, like it were hitching a ride? I think I know the answer to this- a resounding no