Radio Lab Coursework

RADIO WAVES

Beyond the broadcast

Natalie Murray

Introduction

This slide show will take you through many ideas surrounding radio waves; The basics- What is a radio wave? Use and importance of radio waves Radio waves beyond radio broadcasting Radio wave use in mobile phones

What Is A Radio Wave?

Radio waves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum and cover a large part of it, the wavelengths can range from centimetres to hundreds of meters and are significantly large in comparison to that at the smaller end of the spectrum, for example, gamma rays which have wavelengths which are measured in nanometres.

Radio waves send audio, text and images in their waves.

Radio Wave Diagram

The diagram shows the area which Radio waves cover on the electromagnetic spectrum, ranging from FM and AM radio waves to long radio waves. The wave length increases towards the right of the diagram making radio waves the longest wavelength within the whole electromagnetic spectrum as well as having the largest range in wave size throughout the spectrum.

The visible light spectrum is shown in the centre, this is the visible part of the spectrum and because radio waves are not within this range, it means that they are not visible to the human eye.

Radio wavesAM and FM waves are the most known radio waves, because of the common name, the radio and radio waves.

The invention of the radio has been claimed by many people including Nikolas Telsa and Guglielmo Marconi, who was later offered the patent for radio in 1896.

Broadcasts of radio first occurred in the early 1900, developing from one to one communication to one to many communication. Firstly thought to be a weakness but later became the entertainment within everyone’s homes and the information service for the war.

Marconi- offered the patent for the radio

Importance of Radio WavesRadio waves has been one of the most important advances in the

20th century and can communicate information all over the world.

Not only communication, but things like SatNav, remote controls and every day household items rely on radio waves and radio technology, without it, today, we’d be living very different lives.

Radio technology is responsible for overseas connections and was the first technology to combat the problem of overcoming distance in a shorter period of time. Without Radio waves, modern forms of communication would be almost impossible and we’d still be sending things over shore on a wooden boat by letter!

Use of radio wavesThe many uses of radio waves: Radio’s are used in ambulances

to communicate with hospitals on patients and location

Radio telescopes use radio waves, these pick up radio waves which are detected outside the earth, waves which are emitted from stars and planets

Radio waves are used on ships to determine location and can be used as a compass

Continued… Radio waves have been a part of

surgery for over 75 years making them less invasive. As well as this, MRI scans are produced by Radio waves to create images of the body. These are less harmful than X-Rays which are another way to generate images of the body.

Radio waves have also been researched to cure some cancers because they don’t damage the body tissue.

Radio wave technology has been developed in agriculture to destroy harmful and invasive insects, despite this it hasn’t been applied as of yet.

Radio waves beyond broadcasting

As you have seen in previous slides, radio waves are not only used for radio broadcast but in many ways, radio waves branch out further from AM & FM waves and are used in mobile computing and wireless internet.

The next three slides take you through in more detail about the application of radio waves in mobile phone technology.

Radio wave technology: Mobile Phones

Mobile phones, or “cell phones” as they are known globally, operate using Radio wave technology. Mobile phones operate in a different way to that of the home phone; wired or wireless.

Mobile phones work in a Cellular pattern, where areas are divided in to cells, which allows mobiles to operate within that cell. Base stations within the cells make up the network, these base stations have a transmitter tower and a radio.

Likewise, mobile phones have low power transmitters in them which allow them to connect to the transmitters at base stations.

Continued…

Mobile phones emit radio frequencies to work, the frequency of a mobile phone lies between FM Radio waves and Microwaves.

Things which effect the signal of a mobile phone include where the hand is on the mobile; placement with in a “cell”; the amount of people using mobile phones within a cell. The signal is changed because less radio wave signals are being exchanged between the base station and the mobile phone.

Continued…There are many health concerns which surround mobile

phone technology. Microwaves have the ability to heat up body tissue and transform body cells if we are openly exposed to it. Because mobile phone radio wave frequency lie between FM frequency and Microwave frequency, there have been concerns as to whether if exposed to too many radio wave frequencies from our mobiles if we are at risk of cancer.

High levels of these waves from mobile phones would cause us damage, however because of the low frequency transmitters in our phone, risk is low.

Many studies have taken place as to whether there are a link between mobile phone use and brain tumours however there is no conclusive evidence as of yet that they do.

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