Question

When you listen to the radio, watch TV, or cook food in a microwave, you are making use of properties of electromagnetic waves. Which statement about electromagnetic waves is false?

A. White light is the absence of all color.
B. Higher-frequency electromagnetic waves have more energy.
C. The sun radiates several different types of electromagnetic energy.
D. The frequency of an electromagnetic wave is related to its wavelength.

Answer 1

The false statement about electromagnetic waves is that white light is the absence of all color. White light is a mixture of all colors of the visible spectrum, not the absence of them. So the correcct option is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement about electromagnetic waves that is false is A. White light is the absence of all color. White light is a combination of all colors of visible light. Electromagnetic waves, which include radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays, have properties such as wavelength, frequency, and energy that can vary widely across the electromagnetic spectrum.

Let's address each statement to identify the false one:

• B. Higher-frequency electromagnetic waves have more energy. This is true as there is a direct relationship between frequency and energy.
• C. The sun radiates several different types of electromagnetic energy. This is true; the sun emits a range of electromagnetic radiation including visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared radiation.
• D. The frequency of an electromagnetic wave is related to its wavelength. This is true, as the equation c = fλ shows that the speed of light (c) is the product of the frequency (f) and wavelength (λ).

Therefore, option A is the false statement as white light is a mixture of all colors, not the absence of them. When all colors of the spectrum are combined, they produce white light. In contrast, the absence of all colors is perceived as black.

Answer 2

A. White light is the absence of all color.

Step-by-step explanation:

It is false that white light is the absence of all color. In fact, white light is the presence of all colors in the spectrum.

Electromagnetic waves are waves that do not require any material medium for propagation. It is the interaction of electric and magnetic fields.

• The higher frequency electromagnetic waves like the gamma-rays and x-rays have more energy.
• The sun furnishes the universe with electromagnetic energy.
• The higher the wavelength, the lesser the energy of the electromagnetic radiation.