Descriptive or Explanatory?
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 Our many recent posts on the electromagnetic spectrum have been long on description, but perhaps short on explanation. We explained some of the physical characteristics of these waves: their electromagnetic nature, their wavelength, their similarity to particles, and their speed. It is more difficult to explain the many different ways in…
Read MoreLight Talk
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 In my childhood days I recall the anxious voice of my mother announcing to the family that a “long distance” call from an out-of-state relative had arrived. The ensuing conversation was often tense and terse, with no time for light banter. The three-minute talking time limit approached quickly; the basics of…
Read MoreSubduing the Spectrum
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 Many people at or beyond retirement age fondly remember the excitement of mailing in 25 cents and a cereal box top, then waiting anxiously for the promised item to arrive by return mail. My personal favorite was the “Lone Ranger Atomic Bomb Ring” from 1947, just two years after Hiroshima. This…
Read MoreX-rays and Truth
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 One distant memory of my childhood involves visits to the shoe store. Many such establishments had shoe-fitting fluoroscopes. These machines sent X-rays through shoe, flesh, and bone. Live images were transmitted to a fluorescent screen and we were able to see the digits of our toes wiggling. Purportedly, these fascinating machines…
Read MoreLife Sustaining Flood
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 How do we react to a flood? Of course, it would depend on which type of flood we are talking about. I refer again to the flood of electromagnetic radiation arriving at earth’s doorstep each moment of our lives. The more we understand it, the more it appears God has ordered…
Read MoreInvisible but Real
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 Before discussing the reality of another portion of the invisible electromagnetic spectrum, I’ll ask my readers to join me on a field trip. Some of the most memorable field trips with my science classes were visits to the museums of the Franklin/Sterling Hill area of northern New Jersey. At the Sterling…
Read MoreAnd There Was Light
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 When we flip on a light switch, wonderful things happen. In a subjective sense, our path is illuminated and objects become visible. But in a scientific sense we must explain the events in more complex terms. In our last three posts, we’ve spoken about the wonders of electromagnetic waves. We could…
Read MoreA Spectrum of Possibilities
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 Science terms or definitions are necessary, but knowing a definition and understanding a subject are sometimes not the same. With that disclaimer, I’ll offer this definition of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS). The electromagnetic spectrum is the complete range of possible wavelengths of electromagnetism, from longest to shortest. Imagine the length of…
Read MoreTimeline Trivia
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 One of my pastimes is personal family genealogical research. I enjoy pinpointing family events and connecting them with people and dates in history. Which family life spans overlapped those of famous people? Who was living when certain historic events occurred? What family member was alive, for example, when a certain scientific…
Read MoreUbiquitous Radiant Energy
By: Jim Virkler; ©2009 “Pulsing through our classroom walls and through your bodies at this very moment are hundreds of different forms of electromagnetic radiation! How are you feeling as a result?” This attention-grabbing statement produced mainly quizzical expressions on my students’ faces. But it also triggered fascination and an investigative frame of mind. When…
Read More