Question

Arrange the following radiations in the order of their increasing wavelength:
A- \[\gamma \]rays
B-Microwaves
C-X rays
D-Radio waves

Answer 1

Hint: Wavelength is defined as the distance between corresponding points of two consecutive waves. It is an important property of a wave and it depends upon the medium in which it is travelling unlike frequency which does not remain constant.

Complete step by step answer:
The given options are gamma-ray, x-ray, radio wave and microwave. All these are electromagnetic waves and move with the speed of light. The table shows the wavelengths:

WAVE	WAVELENGTH
Radio wave	Less than 1mm
Microwaves	1 mm - 25 μm
Gamma ray	< 10-12 m
X-rays	1 nm - 1 pm

So from the above table, we can see that gamma rays have the lowest wavelength followed by X-rays, then microwaves and at last radio waves. Hence, in the order of increasing wavelength, the waves are Gamma rays, X-rays, infra-red rays, microwaves, radio waves.

Additional Information:
These electromagnetic waves have their importance and are widely used in our everyday life. Radio waves are used in communications and telecommunications. They are also used in strategic military communications. Microwaves are also called heating waves and they are used In microwave ovens. Gamma rays are harmful rays and they cause blood cancer in human beings. X Rays are used in diagnosis in drawing the picture of a human's internal organs as they get deflected by the bones but not by the mass.

Note:
These waves are sometimes useful and at other times harmful for us. Electromagnetic waves also interfere with human brain functioning and with the organs of many birds. That’s why it is an issue of greater debate about how harmful they are in actuality.