PHYSICS

Week 1.2 Radio waves

Key Terms:

A spectrum is simply a chart or a graph that shows the intensity of light being emitted over a range of
energies.

KiloHertz is a unit of measure in frequency for statements of AM radio station signals.

MegaHertz is a unit of measure in frequency for statements of FM radio station signals.

Do you have radio at home? How can a voice from the radio station be heard in our radio at home?

RADIOWAVES

Radio waves have the longest wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum with their low
frequencies, they have the least energy of all electromagnetic waves. They are produced by
making electrons vibrate in an antenna. An antenna is a device that is made out of a conductive,
metallic material and has the purpose of transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic waves,
usually radio wave signals. The purpose of transmitting and receiving radio waves is to
communicate or broadcast information at the speed of light. They are used to transmit sound and
picture information over long distances. Generally used in Radio and communications signals.

Heinrich Hertz german physicist who applied Maxwell’s theories to the production and reception
of radio waves. He became the first person to transmit and received controlled radio waves.
Analog Radio is used for recording analog signals information’s which inclueds audio frequency
and audio amplitude transmission of radio wave. It worls by picking up the audio signals form
the transmission site along radio frequency waves known as carriers. This allow listener to tune
into analog stations on AM/FM frequencies.

How radio receives and transmit radio waves?

Radio frequencies are picked up by the radio set through the air that the waves travel in. The
receiver will receive the available signals while you tune it and scan through the station. The
radio will interpret the signals and demodulate them. Finally the receiver will amplify the sound
it receives through either the speaker or headphone socket.

Transmision
AM (AMPLITUDE MODULATION )
Pros
It has lower bandwidth so it can have more stations available in any frequency range.
It can be transmitted over long distance

Cons
It has poorersound quality compared with FM.

FM (FREQUENCY MODULATION)
It is less prone to interferences or unwanted frequency signal disruptions for example transmitter
and electrical equipment’s nearby.
It has better sound quality due to higher bandwidth

Cons
FM signal are impacted by physical barriers such tall trees building and mountains.

Radio waves have a very wide range of wavelengths. The whole regions of the radio waves is
divided into smaller regions or wavebands. Each waveband is allocated by law to a specifoc
radio service. The wavelengths and frequencies of the different wavebands and their uses are
shown in table 2.
BAND FREQUENCY WAVELENGTH APPLICATION
RANGE RANGE
Extremely low
frequency (ELF) < 3kHz >100 km Underwarer
communication
Very low frequency 3-30 Hz
(VLF) 10-100 km Submarine
communication
Low Frequency (LF) 30-300 kHz 1-10 km Radio Communication
Medium Frequency Radio communication
 (MF) 300 kHz-3MHz 100m – 1km (AM Radio broadcasting)

Amplitude Modulation*
Radio communication
High Frequency (HF) 3-30 MHz 10-100 m (AM Radio broadcasting)
Radio communication
Very High Frequency 30-300 MHz 1-10 m (FM Radio broadcasting)
(VHF)
*Frequency Modulation

TV BROADCASTING
10 cm – 1m Radio communication
Ultra High 300 GHz (FM Radio broadcasting)
Frequency (UHF)
TV BROADCASTING
Super High
Frequency (SHF) 3-30 GHz 1-10cm Radio communication

Satellite communication
Extremely High
Frequency (EHF) 30-300 GHz 1mm-1cm

Low Frequency Waves are suitable for communication over great distances. But the curvature of
the earth limits the range to about 80 km. To extend the range, the repeater is used. The repeater
recieves the signal and re-transmits it to the receivin station.

High Frequency waves can be reflected by the ionesphere. This enables the waves the waves to
be transmitted over great distances.

Medium and high frequency waves are used for broadcasting by local radio stations. In a radio
stations, sound is converted by a microphone into patterns of electric current variations called
audio-frequency (AF) signals.

Microwaves have smaller wavelength than radio waves. They are used in satellite
communications, radar, television transmision and cooking.

Microwaves can penetrate the atmosphere of the earth. This is the reason why they are used for
satellite communications. Communication satellites travel around the earth at an altitude of
35,000 km above the equator.