Waves and Optics
Radio Waves
To explain how radio waves are produced and detected and describe their uses in communication.
What you will learn
Where radio waves sit in the electromagnetic spectrum
How radio waves are used for communication
How changing currents produce radio waves
How aerials receive radio signals
Why different frequencies suit different communications
Explanation
Radio waves are used in broadcasting; microwaves are used in satellite communication and cooking. Microwaves can be absorbed in food and transfer energy to its thermal store. Higher-tier radio production uses electrical oscillations; absorbed radio waves can induce an alternating current of the same frequency in a receiving circuit. Example: [HT] Explain radio transmission. Oscillating current in an electrical circuit produces radio waves. Use clear labels. Explain the result. State assumptions.