The electromagnetic spectrum organizes electromagnetic radiation by frequency or wavelength. In vacuum, and the photon energy is . Radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays belong to the same physical field, with conventional band boundaries.
Different bands couple differently to matter and require different sources and detectors. The visible band is only a small portion of the full range. Frequency remains unchanged at a stationary interface, while wavelength generally changes with propagation speed, so a quoted wavelength needs a medium convention when that distinction matters.
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The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, which varies in wavelength and frequency. Electromagnetic radiation is generated by the movement of charged particles and travels through space at the speed of light. The spectrum categorizes electromagnetic waves into different types based on their wavelength and frequency, and it encompasses a wide variety of phenomena.
