| - | Name | - | Generated by | - | Dispersed by | - | Detected by | - | Particular Properties and Uses |
| (Electrons) | Acceleration of thermally produced electrons by a high voltage | Electric and magnnetic field | photography; fluorescence | Deflected by electric and magnetic fields; used in electron microscopy | |||||
| (Neutrons) | Nuclear reactor | Photography; counting devices | Scattered by nuclei; diffracted by crystals | ||||||
| X-ray | Rapid deceleration of fast-moving electrons; changes in energy of innermoost or orbital electrons | Photography; ionization chamber | Can penetrate mater (e.g., radiography); reflected and diffracted by crystals; scattered by electrons | ||||||
| Ultraviolet | Electronic transitions of atoms and molecules | Quartz, fluorite | Photography; photoelectric cell; fluorescence | Absorbed by glass and conjugated molecules; can cause many chemical reactions; UV spectra | |||||
| Visible light | Rearrangement of outer orbital electrons in atoms and molecules | Glass | Eye; photography; photocell | Can cause chemical reaction; microscopy; visible spectra | |||||
| Infrared | Change of molecular rotational and vibrational energies | Rock salt | Photography by special plate; special heating effect | ||||||
| Microwave | Special electronic devices such as klystron tube; electronn spin reorientation in magnetic field | Paraffin wax | Valve ciecuit arranged as microwave receiver; point contact diodes | Radar communication; ESR measurements | |||||
| Radio waves | Oscillating electrons in special circuits coupled to radio aerials; nuclear-spin reorientation in magnetic field | Tuned oscillatory electric circuit | Radio communication; NMR measurements |
*** Neutrons and electrons can be treated as a class of electromagnnetic wave because of wave-particle duality. The wavelength and the momentum (p) of a particle are related by the de Broglie equation:
l = h / p
where
p = (E2 - mc4)1/2 / c
for a particle of mass m, and l = E / c for electromagnetic radiation.
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