Communicational Technology.

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Communicational Technology

Parts of the electromagnetic spectrum including radio waves, visible light and infra-red are used in communication.  In 1896 Guiglielmo Marconi used electromagnetic waves to make a wireless telegraph system.  This type of wireless technology is vital for communicating in places where wires would not be practical such as moving objects such as cars and planes.

Visible light is energy that can be detected by our eyes.  White light is made up of all the colours of the spectrum.  Light travels in a wave and is part of the electromagnetic spectrum.  In a vacuum all these waves travel at the same speed which is at the speed of light.

Radio waves easily pass through clouds and fog and can be sent long distances through the atmosphere from the radio transmitter to the receiver.  

Infra red and visible light have limited applications in ‘free space’ type systems as they have a very short wavelength compared with radio waves and easily absorbed and scattered by the atmosphere. Examples of communication using visible light include traffic lights and lighthouses. Examples of communication using infrared are laptops to printers and remote controls to television.

Infra-red and visible lights are far more useful in communication systems when sent down optical fibres.

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Detailed Notes

Parts of the electromagnetic spectrum including radio waves, visible light and infra-red are used in communication.  Radio waves easily pass through clouds and fog and can be sent long distances through the atmosphere from the radio transmitter to the receiver. Interference occurs if two radio stations transmit on the same frequency, leading to regulation of the parts of the electromagnetic spectrum by authorities.  One of the other main problems to be overcome with radio waves is the curvature of the earth.

Microwaves are used for mobile phone communication.  They cannot be ...

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