Final answer:
Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with long wavelengths typically greater than 0.1 meters and are used in communications, while visible light has much shorter wavelengths between 400 - 700 nm that the human eye can detect. The energy of these waves is determined by their frequency, with longer wavelengths being less energetic. Both are parts of the electromagnetic spectrum and are essential for observing different scales of objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term radio waves refers to a type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths that are typically longer than about 0.1 meters. Unlike visible light, which the human eye can detect, radio waves are invisible to us and have a much broader range in terms of wavelengths. For example, radar utilizes radio waves with wavelengths of approximately 0.5 cm, which is suitable for detecting large objects like airplanes. In contrast, visible light has much shorter wavelengths of roughly 400 - 700 nanometers (nm) and can be used to see details at the scale of single biological cells.
The energy of electromagnetic waves, including both radio waves and visible light, is determined by their frequency and wavelength, which are inversely related to each other. This means that longer wavelength radio waves tend to have lower frequencies and are less energetic compared to the shorter wavelength high-energy radiation such as X-rays and gamma rays.
While radio waves are produced by alternating currents in antenna wires, visible light is typically emitted by transitions in energy levels of electrons in atoms and molecules. The capability to observe and measure different sizes of objects using electromagnetic waves is directly related to their wavelengths. Hence, it's crucial not to be a 'visible light chauvinist', understanding that visible light is just a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum and that a wide variety of phenomena can be observed using other wavelengths.