"Wavestown”
In this activity you are working as a mini-wavologist. Your job is to identify the different types
of electromagnetic waves found in “Wavestown.”
1 Look at the bottom of the picture of Wavestown. Review the spectrum.
2. Look the picture of Wavestown. Use your notes to help you fill in the chart below with
examples of the types of waves you see. You must find one of each example within the town.
3. Complete the questions that follow.
Electromagnetic Waves found in “Wavestown”
Wave Types
List an example for each wave type. You MUST EXPLAIN why
your example demonstrates that wave type.
Radio waves
Microwaves
Infrared waves
Visible light waves
Ultraviolet waves
X-rays
Gamma rays
1. Which color in the visible light spectrum has the longest wavelength? __________________
2. Which color in the visible light spectrum has the shortest wavelength? ________________
3. State the relationship between frequency and wavelength. _________________________
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Name __________________________________________ Class ______________ Date __________________
Sky Colors
You may wonder why the sky usually appears blue during the day and sometimes red or
orange at sunrise or sunset. Incoming sunlight is white. White light consists of all the colors in
the visible spectrum: red orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Red is at the long-wavelength
end of the visible spectrum, while blue and violet are at the short-wavelength end.
Air molecules in the atmosphere scatter sunlight. However, all wavelengths of sunlight
are not scattered the same. Air molecules scatter short wavelengths more than long
wavelengths. Therefore, blue and violet, which have a short wavelength, are scattered more
efficiently. Our eyes are more sensitive to blue light than to violet light. So the sky appears
blue rather than violet.
Beautiful sunrises and sunsets often appear in the sky. The larger particles in the
atmosphere such as dust, smoke, and cloud droplets, and the low angle of the sun at sunrise and
sunset scatter all wavelengths of light. However, the shorter wavelengths (blue and violet) are
scattered away from you, and the longer wavelengths (red, orange and yellow) are scattered
toward you. This often produces a colorful sky at sunrise and sunset.
Base your answers to the questions on the passage above and your knowledge of science. Answer
them in your own words.
1. What colors in the visible spectrum have the shortest wavelengths? ___________________
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2. What causes the sky to appear blue? __________________________________________
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3. Volcanic ash is a fine dust that floats in the atmosphere for long periods of time after a
volcanic eruption. How does volcanic ash in the atmosphere affect the color of the sky?
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