Radio waves and microwaves are bands of energy spanning a range of wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum. They are a form of radiation.
Most people have a very negative view of radiation, but we will discuss that below.
Radio waves and microwaves both are used for communication and microwaves are actually considered a subset of radio wave transmissions. Radio waves are specifically used for fixed transmission and mobile communication in AM, FM, television, and microwave frequencies.
Microwave frequencies, which are shorter than most of the radio band, are on one end of the radio frequency spectrum.
Electromagnetic waveforms are described by several characteristics. Waves have amplitude (energy intensity measured in Watts, typically graphed as the height of a wave peak), frequency (how often a pulse of energy is transmitted measured in cycles/second or Hertz, graphed as a wave), and wavelength (distance between pulses of energy measured in meters, graphed as a distance between waves).
What are radio waves?
AM Radio waves (540-1600 kHz) are amplitude modulated, meaning that the transmitter sends out a series of differing intensity pulses in a pattern on top of a fixed radio transmission wave (the carrier wave, corresponding to the frequency of the radio station). These pulse patterns relate to information, such as audio recording.
A receiver built to interpret and convert these signals transduces the pulse patterns back into an audio signal and transmits it to a speaker so that it can be heard.
FM Radio waves (88-108 MHz) are frequency modulated, meaning that the transmitter sends out pulses of energy at constant amplitude on top of a fixed carrier wave, but at different rates (frequencies). These differing compressions of energy are usually audio signals that have been converted.
A receiving station is able to back-convert these intermittent pulses of energy pattern to the original audio signal and send them out to a speaker to be heard.
Television waves send much more complex waveforms due to the audio and visual data being transmitted. They come in two transmission bands: Very High Frequency (VHF) which uses two bandwidths (54-88 MHz and 174-222 MHz, bracketing the radio audio FM band) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) which uses 470-1000 MHz transmission.
VHF transmissions send video over AM radio bands and audio over FM radio bands.
What Are Microwaves?
Microwaves are transmissions in the 300 MHz to 300 GHz band, with wavelengths from one meter down to one millimeter in length. Apart from communication uses, they are also used for navigation (GPS), radar, in radio astronomy, heating (microwave ovens), power transmission, and spectroscopy.
There is a total of 13 registered, application-specific microwave bands; only 12 of them are currently used.
Different electromagnetic waves have different transmission characteristics and are used in various applications to get around obstacles. For example, long waves tend to go around obstacles (diffract) such as mountains and follow the electromagnetic field lines of the earth.
Short waves bounce off the ionosphere, a charged region of the upper atmosphere, and go over the horizon for greater distance transmissions. Very short waves (e.g., microwaves) are line-of-sight only, however there are transmission techniques that can be applied to increase transmission distance, such as tropospheric scatter.
This latter method of transmission requires a receiver, usually over the horizon, that can reconstruct microwave signals that become randomly scattered in the troposphere layer of the atmosphere. This method permits microwave transmissions at distances up to 300 km.
Reception of electromagnetic signals involves use of an omnidirectional antenna, a dipole antenna, or a parabolic dish depending on the signal band received. Signal communications in short wavelengths are very amenable to reception by omnidirectional antennas (think of your typical rabbit-ear antenna or those found on portable radios).
Omnidirectional antennas are also found in microelectronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, and hand-held GPS receivers. Parabolic dish or other designs (e.g., horn antennas) are used for point-to-point microwave communications (think of a satellite dish).
What is electromagnetic radiation?
Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is energy transmitted over distance across a broad range of frequencies, ranging from extremely low frequency waves (a type of radio wave starting a 3 Hz) to gamma rays (the shortest EMR wavelength topping at 1.24 x 1020 Hz), with the visual band in between. This also includes heat, which is infrared radiation.
It consists of photons, which are waves of energy that become particles when observed. At the short end of the spectrum, gamma rays always remain waves.
When most people think of radiation, what they usually think of is ionizing radiation, not light coming from a flashlight. Ionizing radiation is in the short end of the electromagnetic spectrum and consists of ultraviolet, x-rays, and gamma rays, things that can burn or cause cancer from differing times of exposure.
Radio waves and microwaves are at the other end of the spectrum. You can think of all electromagnetic radiation (in descending wavelengths), from Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) to Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, X-rays, and gamma rays. They are all essentially light.
Whether radiation is harmful or not is a matter of frequency and energy level (intensity). Extremely intense visible light can burn. Extremely low intensity infrared light will not transmit heat. Just like chemicals, it’s all about dose.
Basic Characteristics & Properties of Electromagnetic Waves
- Electromagnetic waves are transverse in nature. This means that as the wave propagates, the electrical field and magnetic field are perpendicular to each other.
- Both the electric field and magnetic field of the electromagnetic waves carry the same level of energy.
- They don’t require any material to travel. They can approach you even through a vacuum.
- The electromagnetic waves travel at the speed of light.
- Frequency is the inherent characteristic of electromagnetic waves, which doesn’t change with the medium. However, the wavelength of these waves is subject to change when they travel from one medium to another.
Types of Microwave Transmission
There are two types of microwave transmission:
1. Terrestrial Microwave Transmission
Terrestrial Microwave Transmission transmits and receives signals that belong to the lower end of the gigahertz range. The only problem with this type of microwave transmission is they need a line of sight path to travel. Being low on energy, they cannot penetrate through obstacles.
Their low energy level also makes installing these systems costly. While installing these towers within short distances is perfectly affordable, when you plan to install them over long distances, you’ll be required to use repeaters to transmit the signals.
2. Satellite Microwave Transmission
The satellite microwave transmission is a lot like terrestrial microwave transmission. The only difference is in this type of system, one of the stations is actually a satellite orbiting the Earth. Both Satellite Microwave Transmission and Terrestrial Microwave Transmission work on the same principle.
For a Satellite Microwave Transmission, the satellite in orbit acts as the repeater and the super antenna. The signals emitted from Satellite Microwave Transmission are also required to have a line of sight path for successful transmission.
Types of Radio Wave Transmission
The different types of radio waves depend on their frequency range. They are:
Low to Medium Frequency Range
These transmissions are also known as ELF radio waves and have the least frequency on the radio wave spectrum. However, on the brighter side, they have a long-range and can easily penetrate through water and rocks. This property makes them a perfect research tool for marine and cave-related studies.
Higher Frequency Radio Waves
UHF, HF, and VHF are on the higher end of the frequency range and are often used in FM radios, TV, mobile phones, and even GPS. They often undergo frequency modulation to help with the encoding and transmission of signals through transmitting antennas.
Shortwave Frequency Radio Waves
This group of radio waves utilizes the HF band frequencies that range from 1.7 megahertz to 30 megahertz. Within that range, the shortwave frequency radio waves are classified into separate groups, some of which are used in telecom stations.
Highest Frequency Range Radio Waves
The Highest Frequency Range Radio Waves consist of EHF and SHF transmissions with the highest frequencies in the radio wave spectrum. However, the problem with the Highest Frequency Range Radio Waves is their molecular arrangement and behavior.
Their molecules limit the range of these waves. This reduces its transmission efficiency and performance. Therefore, these waves don’t have any significant use or application.
Are radio waves and microwaves safe?
The answer to that question involves energy levels. The only difference between a radio wave and a microwave is frequency.
They are made of the same essential stuff: photons. Most radio wave transmissions are not of sufficient intensity to be dangerous.
However, some radio wave sources are quite intense and can cause soft tissue damage. Standing next to the source of a high-power radio transmitter while it is on would be an extremely bad thing to do.
Soft tissues absorb radio frequencies and convert them to infrared, which causes heating and burns. Most people, though, are not climbing live radio towers and sticking their faces on the transmitter.
Microwaves are a different matter entirely. Microwaves are typically emitted as high-energy bursts and do not have demonstrable biological effects at most emission frequencies.
It has been noted that standing in the directed beam of a microwave emitter can cause neurological effects, producing phantom clicking and popping sounds. This effect is produced by dielectric heating effects on the auditory cortex.
Intense exposure to microwave radiation, from standing in front of a live emitter for example, can result in denaturation of the collagen polymers in the cornea, thus producing cataracts. Exposure to higher energies, such as a broken microwave oven that operates with the door open, can cause soft tissue burns.
What Radio Waves and Microwaves Have in Common
Both of these are very important to us as they allow us to communicate easily with one another.
But this isn’t the only thing they have in common.
Both radio waves and microwaves are both on the long wavelength end of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Radio waves have a wavelength of 1 map, meaning that the frequency of these waves at 1 meter is 300 MHz (Megahertz).
When it comes to microwaves, these have a wavelength of 1 mm to 1 m. Here the frequency for each 1 mm is 300 GHz (Gigahertz).
PLEASE NOTE: There are some people who say that microwaves are just another form of radio waves. So to these people radio waves have the same wavelength as that of microwaves so they measure them using 1mm upwards.
Not only are we able to produce both microwaves and radio waves, but they also are produced from natural sources. The main natural source of these types of waves is the sun.
How We Use Radio Waves to Communicate
Radio waves can be used to transmit and receive on a range of devices.
When it comes to radio waves these are produced by causing an electric current inside an antenna to vibrate. This leads to the production of electromagnetic waves which then spread out from the device in which they are being used.
The electromagnetic waves these devices emit will then be received by the small antenna in another device because it is able to detect even the smallest amount of current the radio waves have created.
Upon receiving this signal the device to which it has been sent is able to decode it and allows you to either watch or listen to what has been delivered to your device.
Radio waves are particularly good for broadcasting purposes as they can be sent out to numerous receivers at the same time. This is how we get to listen to things on the radio and to watch programs on our TV.
How Does a Microwave Produce Electromagnetic Waves?
All microwaves have inside of them a device known as magnetron, and is also the heaviest component inside these appliances.
When you turn these appliances on, they use electromagnetic waves at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. Once the microwaves start to produce these electromagnetic waves it causes water molecules in food to begin to vibrate quickly, which in turn causes them and the food to heat up.
It is the magnetron inside the microwave oven that is what causes the electromagnetic waves to be created and will then send them off in different directions. As they bounce off the surface inside of the microwave oven these waves then get absorbed by the water inside the food you are either heating up or cooking.
It is okay to use plastic or glass items inside such appliances as the microwaves produced are able to pass through them. However, as you know you should never place metal items inside such appliances as the waves will just bounce off them. So basically when you use a microwave to cook food you are simply heating up the water inside of it.
