Which type of electromagnetic radiation has a shorter wavelength than infrared light?

• A. microwaves
• B. visible light
• C. radio waves
• D. gamma rays

Answer: (B)

Visible light has a shorter wavelength than infrared light, making it the correct choice. The electromagnetic spectrum is organized by wavelength, with infrared light situated between microwaves and visible light. Infrared wavelengths range from about 700 nanometers (nm) to 1 millimeter (mm), while visible light wavelengths span from approximately 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red). This means that visible light occupies a range that falls just below infrared light on the spectrum.

Understanding the organization of the electromagnetic spectrum is essential, as it shows the relationship between different types of radiation. For context, microwaves have longer wavelengths than infrared, typically ranging from about 1 millimeter to 1 meter, and radio waves have even longer wavelengths, generally exceeding 1 meter. Gamma rays, on the other hand, have significantly shorter wavelengths than visible light, but are not immediately adjacent to infrared in the spectrum, reinforcing the understanding of where various types of electromagnetic radiation fall when ordered by wavelength.