The Electromagnetic Spectrum Symbol Prefix Factor

Z zetta- 1021
Notes: E exa- 1018
a
The relations between frequency and wavelength are as follows: frequency f = c / λ and wavelength λ = c / f, P peta- 1015
where c is the speed of light in vacuum; c = 299 792 458 m/s. T tera- 1012
G giga- 109
b
The energy quanta of single photons as defined by quantum mechanics; E = h × f, where
M mega- 106
h ≈ 6.62606896(33)×10-34 Js. 1 eV ≈ 1.60217653(14)×10−19 J. k kilo- 103
c
Both microwaves and radar are radio waves. m milli- 10−3
d
As defined by IEEE Standard 521-1984. μ micro- 10−6
e
International Telecommunication Union. n nano- 10−9
f
Note that FM, AM and TV bands are overlapping. f femto- 10−15

Radiation type Usage Photon energyb (eV) Frequencya (Hz) Wavelengtha (m)
Gamma rays Sterilization, Astronomy 0.124–124 MeV ~30 EHz−30 ZHz 0.01 nm–10 fm
X-rays Radiography, Crystallography 124–124 000 eV 30 PHz−30 EHz 10–0.01 nm
Ultraviolet Usage 3.10–1 240 eV 750–300 000 THz 400–1 nm
Extreme or Deep (EUV, XUV) Ultraviolet astronomy 40–1 240 eV 9 671–300000 THz 31–1 nm
Far or Vacuum (FUV, VUV) Ultraviolet astronomy 6.20–124 eV 1 500–30 000 THz 200–10 nm
Short wave (UVC) Fluorescent lamps, Sterilization 4.43–6.20 eV 1 071–1 500 THz 280–200 nm
Medium wave (UVB) Photolithography 3.87–4.43 eV 937–1 071 THz 320–280 nm
Long wave (UVA) Black light 3.10–3.87 eV 750–937 THz 400–320 nm
Near (NUV) UV/VIS spectroscopy 3.10–6.20 eV 750–1 500 THz 400–200 nm
Visible light Color ~1.65–3.27 eV ~400–790 THz ~750–380 nm
Violet ~2.77–3.10 eV ~670–750 THz ~450–400 nm
Notes:
Blue ~2.52–2.77 eV ~610–670 THz ~490–450 nm
The human eye responds to
Green ~2.23–2.52 eV ~540–610 THz ~560–490 nm
wavelengths ~380–750 nm; the
Yellow ~2.11–2.23 eV ~510–540 THz ~590–560 nm
spectrum is continuous and there are
Orange ~1.99–2.11 eV ~480–510 THz ~630–590 nm
no clear boundaries between colors.
Red ~1.78–1.99 eV ~430–480 THz ~700–630 nm
Infrared Usage 0.0012 – 1.65 eV 0.3−400 THz 1 mm−750 nm
Near-infrared (NIR) Telecommunication, Spectroscopy 0.50–1.65 eV 120−400 THz 2 500−750 nm
IR Telecommunication bands 0.7403–0.9843 eV 179−238 THz 1675−1260 nm
O band (Original) 0.9098–0.9843 eV 220−238 THz 1360−1260 nm
E band (Extended) 0.8478–0.9098 eV 205−220 THz 1460−1360 nm
S band (Short wavelength) 0.8106–0.8478 eV 196−205 THz 1530−1460 nm
C band (Conventional) 0.7940–0.8106 eV 192−196 THz 1565−1530 nm
L band (Long wavelength) 0.7610–0.7940 eV 184−192 THz 1625−1565 nm
U band (Ultralong wavelength) 0.7403–0.7610 eV 179−184 THz 1675−1625 nm
Mid-infrared (MIR) Thermal imaging 0.12–0.5 eV 30−120 THz 10−2.5 μm
Far Infrared (FIR, ITUe: 12) – 0.0012–0.12 eV 0.3−30 THz 1 mm−10 μm
Terahertz radiation – 0.00124 – 0.0124 eV 300 GHz−3THz 1 mm−100 μm
Radio waves Notes 2×10-27– 1240.70 μeV 3 Hz−300 GHz 100 000 km−1 mm
Microwavesc includes radio bands EHF+SHF+UHF 1.241 – 1240.70 μeV 300 MHz−300GHz 100 mm − 1 mm
Radarc includes radio bands EHF to HF 0.0124 – 454.92 μeV 3 MHz−110 GHz 100 m–2.7 mm
Usage Microwave/Radar bandsd Photon energy Frequency Wavelength
W 310.18 – 454.92 μeV 75−110 GHz 4– 2.73 mm
Radar, Meteorology
V 165.43 – 310.18 μeV 40−75 GHz 7.5–4 mm
Ka (“Kurze” above) 111.66 – 165.43 μeV 27−40 GHz 11.10–7.5 mm
K (“Kurze” – German for ”short”) 74.44 – 111.66μeV 18−27 GHz 17–11.10 mm
Radar, Satellite communications
Ku (“Kurze” under) 49.63 – 74.44 μeV 12−18 GHz 25–17 mm
X 33.09 – 49.63 μeV 8−12 GHz 37–25 mm
Cordless phones, WLAN C (Compromise) 16.54 – 33.09 μeV 4−8 GHz 75–37 mm
Microwave ovens, WLAN S (Short) 8.27 – 16.54 μeV 2−4 GHz 150–75 mm
Mobile phones, GPS L (Long) 4.14 – 8.27 μeV 1−2 GHz 300–150 mm
Usage Radio bandsf ITUe Frequency Wavelength
Remote sensing, Radio astronomy EHF (Extremely High Frequency) 11 30−300 GHz 10−1 mm
Radar, WLAN SHF (Super High Frequency) 10 3−30 GHz 100−10 mm
UHF (Ultra High Frequency) 9 300 MHz−3 GHz 1 m−100 mm
TV
VHF (Very High Frequency) 8 30−300 MHz 10−1 m
FM Radio (part of VHF) 87.5−108.0 MHz 3.43−2.78 m
HF (High Frequency), AM: SW (Shortwave) 7 3−30 MHz 100−10 m
MF (Medium Frequency) 6 300 kHz−3 MHz 1000−100 m
AM Radio MW (AM: Mediumwave, part of MF) 520−1611 kHz 576−186 m
LF (Low Frequency) 5 30−300 kHz 10−1 km
LW (AM: Longwave, part of LF) 148.5−283.5 kHz 1000−2000 m
Radio navigation/time signals VLF (Very Low Frequency) 4 3−30 kHz 100−10 km
Earth Mode communications ULF (Ultra Low Frequency) 3 300 Hz−3 kHz 1000−100 km
SLF (Super Low Frequency) 2 30−300 Hz 10000−1000 km
Submarine communications
ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) 1 3−30 Hz 100 000−100 km

The Electromagnetic Spectrum © 2008 Digital Nature Agency. Free to use non-commercially. v0.61.