Do you know that we owe our understanding of radio waves and radio communication to one Gugliemo Marconi, from Italy?
This inventor is credited with developing and broadcasting the very first transatlantic radio signal from the wireless telegraph. Further, this invention has saved thousands of lives, most notably a significant number of passengers who were aboard the Titanic.
This article explores Marconi’s revolutionary invention with an emphasis on the frequency of radio waves and our understanding of them today.
Let’s start with the basics!
How Do Radio Waves Work?
Radio waves must be transmitted through transmitters and then received through antennas like the larsen dual band antenna. These waves are radiated by charged particles when they are accelerated. In a vacuum, these waves have the ability to travel at the speed of light.
However, in other cases the speed is subjective depending on the medium it is passing through.
Additionally, the ability of a radio wave to propagate is relative to its frequency.
For example, longer radio waves have the ability to diffract or bend around the corners of obstacles like mountains. On the other hand, shorter waves have more reflective abilities.
The radio spectrum covers a range of electromagnetic waves between 30Hz to 300GHz. In communication systems, it is these radio waves that transport information from the device to device.
Examining the Frequency of Radio Waves
The frequency of a wave happens to be inversely proportional to the length of the wave. This means the higher the frequency of a wave, the shorter the wavelength will be, and vice versa.
Generally, lower frequency radio waves absorb quickly into the Earth’s atmosphere. Higher frequencies find their way through these mediums.
Gamma rays tend to have the shortest wavelengths, however, they also have the highest level of energy. In contrast, radio waves have the lowest levels of energy. Additionally, they have the longest wavelengths and also have the lowest frequencies among the electromagnetic radiations.
Radio Waves and Human Beings
Humans have a variety of opportunities to be exposed to radio waves. These include coming in contact with broadcasting signals, signals from telephonic devices, Bluetooth devices, and millimeter-wave scanners.
While there have been many studies on the impact of radio waves on human health, none seem conclusive. RF waves are not considered powerful enough to cause damage to the DNA of human beings.
Radio Waves: The Building Blocks of Communication
Radio waves serve several functions in today’s world, most of which have to do with enabling communication. The frequency of radio waves is what determines their ability to reach each other through our various devices.
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