Final answer:
To detect atoms, the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation must be similar in size to the atom, around 10^-10 meters. Due to the inverse relationship between wavelength and frequency, such radiation falls in the X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, which has a high frequency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation used to detect details the size of atoms, which is approximately 10^-10 meters, compares to the size of an atom itself. The wavelength of radiation required to 'see' objects is about the same size as the object. Therefore, to detect details of the size of atoms, the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation must be in the same order of magnitude as the size of the atom, which is about 10^-10 meters
For electromagnetic radiation to have a wavelength of 10^-10 meters, it must have a correspondingly high frequency, since the speed of light (c) is a constant and the wavelength (λ) and frequency (f) are inversely related by the equation c = λlambda. This type of electromagnetic radiation is in the range of X-rays, which are used in crystallography for determining atomic structures.