Question

"The wavelength of the electromagnetic wave is often correlated with the characteristic size of the system that radiates." Give two examples to justify this statement.

Hint:

For efficient radiation or absorption, the system's size should match the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave.

Answer 1

1. Radio Waves: Large antenna arrays are used for radio wave transmission because the wavelength of radio waves is in meters, requiring similarly sized systems to efficiently radiate or receive these waves.
2. Microwaves: Microwaves have a wavelength on the order of centimeters, which matches the size of cavities or waveguides used for their propagation in microwave ovens or radar systems.