Electromagnetic Radiation - High School

You won't be able to resist the magnetic pull of this vocabulary list! Learn all about electromagnetic radiation as you review types of waves, wave properties, electromagnetic fields, absorption and reflection, and much more.
59 words 290 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. absorb
    suck or take up or in
  2. absorption
    when radiated energy is retained on passing through a medium
  3. amplitude
    the maximum displacement of a periodic wave
  4. atom
    the smallest component of an element
  5. bioluminescence
    luminescence produced by physiological processes
  6. brightness
    the quality of being luminous; emitting or reflecting light
  7. cell
    a device that delivers an electric current
  8. color
    a visual attribute of things from the light they emit
  9. crest
    the top line of a hill, mountain, or wave
  10. electric field
    a field of force surrounding a charged particle
  11. electric potential
    the difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit expressed in volts
  12. electromagnetic
    pertaining to or exhibiting magnetism produced by electric charge in motion
  13. electromagnetic spectrum
    the entire frequency range of electromagnetic waves
  14. electromagnetic wave
    radiation consisting of waves of energy associated with electric and magnetic fields resulting from the acceleration of an electric charge
  15. electron
    an elementary particle with negative charge
  16. field
    space around a radiating body within which it exerts force
  17. frequency
    the number of occurrences within a given time period
  18. gamma ray
    electromagnetic radiation emitted during radioactive decay and having an extremely short wavelength
  19. incandescence
    light emission by a body as its temperature is raised
  20. infrared
    having or employing wavelengths longer than light but shorter than radio waves; lying outside the visible spectrum at its red end
  21. infrared light
    electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light but shorter than radio waves
  22. ionization
    the condition of being dissociated into ions
  23. ionize
    convert into ions
  24. light
    electromagnetic radiation that can produce visual sensation
  25. magnetic field
    the lines of force surrounding a permanent magnet or a moving charged particle
  26. medium
    an intervening substance through which something is achieved
  27. microwave
    a relatively short electromagnetic wave used for cooking food
  28. ohm
    a unit of electrical resistance
  29. particle
    a body having finite mass but negligible dimensions
  30. peak
    the highest point of something
  31. photoelectric
    of or pertaining to photoelectricity
  32. photoelectricity
    electricity generated by light or affected by light
  33. photon
    a tiny bundle of matter that transmits light
  34. polarization
    when radiation is restricted in direction of vibration
  35. prism
    optical device used to deviate a beam or invert an image
  36. radiation
    energy transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles
  37. radio wave
    an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength between 0.5 cm to 30,000 m
  38. reflect
    throw or bend back from a surface
  39. reflection
    the phenomenon of a wave being thrown back from a surface
  40. resonance
    an excited state of a stable particle
  41. scattering
    the physical process in which particles are deflected haphazardly as a result of collisions
  42. sight
    the ability to see; the visual faculty
  43. surface
    the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer
  44. translucent
    allowing light to pass through diffusely
  45. transmission
    fraction of radiant energy that passes through a substance
  46. transmit
    serve as the medium for sending something
  47. transparent
    able to be seen through with clarity
  48. transverse
    extending or lying across, in a crosswise direction
  49. ultraviolet
    having wavelengths shorter than light but longer than X-rays
  50. ultraviolet light
    radiation lying in the ultraviolet range
  51. ultraviolet radiation
    radiation lying in the ultraviolet range
  52. vacuum
    the absence of matter
  53. visible
    capable of being seen or open to easy view
  54. visible light
    (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
  55. vision
    the ability to see
  56. wave
    (physics) a movement up and down or back and forth
  57. wavelength
    distance between successive crests of a periodic disturbance
  58. wave-particle duality
    (physics) the property of matter and electromagnetic radiation that is characterized by the fact that some properties can be explained best by wave theory and others by particle theory
  59. X ray
    electromagnetic radiation of short wavelength produced when high-speed electrons strike a solid target
Created on Tue Feb 21 13:48:33 EST 2017 (updated Tue Apr 11 08:59:00 EDT 2017)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.