Final answer:
The statement about light waves compressing as an object moves toward an observer is false. The phenomenon is actually the Doppler effect, which results in blueshift (decreased wavelength and increased frequency) when an object moves towards an observer and redshift for the opposite.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is false that light waves 'compress' as an object moves toward an observer, causing the light to shift to the end of the electromagnetic spectrum. What actually happens is a phenomenon known as the Doppler effect, which applies to all waves, including light waves. When an object emitting light moves towards an observer, the light waves seem to follow one another more closely, resulting in a decreased wavelength and increased frequency; this is called blueshift. Conversely, if the object is moving away from the observer, the light waves stretch out, resulting in an increased wavelength and decreased frequency, known as redshift. However, the actual color changes are not always visible to the human eye and do not literally shift the light to the 'end' of the electromagnetic spectrum.