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electromagnetic radiation

noun
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Definition of electromagnetic radiation

: energy in the form of electromagnetic waves also : a series of electromagnetic waves

Examples of electromagnetic radiation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To do that, scientists relied on the fact that water vapor absorbs electromagnetic radiation at several different frequencies. — Alejandra Borunda, National Geographic, "Could your next cell phone wreck our weather forecasts?," 26 Nov. 2019 How Your Universe Works If a galaxy has stopped producing new stars, which give off blue electromagnetic radiation, it will eventually only be left with be left with older, redder stars. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "This Supercomputer Is Out Here Just Generating Millions of Universes," 13 Aug. 2019 Telecommunications technologies like 5G internet need space on the electromagnetic spectrum, the range of all types of electromagnetic radiation that includes microwaves, infrared and ultraviolet light, gamma and X-rays. — Alejandra Borunda, National Geographic, "Could your next cell phone wreck our weather forecasts?," 26 Nov. 2019 Lasers are concentrated beams of light that transmit large amounts of electromagnetic radiation, expressed in kilowatts, against their target. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Air Force Downs Several Drones With New ATHENA Laser Weapon System," 8 Nov. 2019 According to experts on the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation, radio waves become safer at higher frequencies, not more dangerous. — Adam Lashinsky, Fortune, "Why It’s Not So Easy To Regulate or Split Up Big Tech Companies—Data Sheet," 17 July 2019 Instead they are cooked up by the brain from mixtures of different wavelengths of colorless electromagnetic radiation. — Anil K. Seth, Scientific American, "The Neuroscience of Reality," 27 Aug. 2019 According to experts on the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation, radio waves become safer at higher frequencies, not more dangerous. — Adam Lashinsky, Fortune, "Why It’s Not So Easy To Regulate or Split Up Big Tech Companies—Data Sheet," 17 July 2019 Cellphones use radio waves to communicate, and that’s a form of electromagnetic radiation. — Chicago Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, "Daywatch: Surprising cellphone safety tests, Chicagoans spend 73 hours a year stuck in traffic and other things to know to start your day," 22 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'electromagnetic radiation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of electromagnetic radiation

1891, in the meaning defined above

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Time Traveler for electromagnetic radiation

Time Traveler

The first known use of electromagnetic radiation was in 1891

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Statistics for electromagnetic radiation

Last Updated

19 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Electromagnetic radiation.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electromagnetic%20radiation. Accessed 21 January 2020.

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More Definitions for electromagnetic radiation

electromagnetic radiation

noun

Medical Definition of electromagnetic radiation

: a series of electromagnetic waves

More from Merriam-Webster on electromagnetic radiation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about electromagnetic radiation

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