What “is” a radio signal-?

[OsteInmar]

IT has a corposular-wave duality. It has the properties of interference, diffraction as a wave and mass, as a particle. A photon does not have a rest mass.
Low-frequency photons are described by the laws of classical electrodynamics, as having vector characteristics-polarization, tension and scalar-energy, which is proportional to the second degree of tension. More often they say - the electromagnetic field. This field is generated by moving charged particles.
High-frequency photons are often called quanta, they are described by the laws of quantum physics, as a separate particle, having a mass and energy proportional to the frequency. They are generated as a result of the transition of an electron in an ethomium to a low energy level.

 

[OsteInmar]

Ok, now I am even more lost than before.

What is an atom?

An atom a fundamental piece of matter. (Matter is anything that can be touched physically.) Everything in the universe (except energy) is made of matter, and, so, everything in the universe is made of atoms.
An atom itself is made up of three tiny kinds of particles called subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The protons and the neutrons make up the center of the atom called the nucleus and the electrons fly around above the nucleus in a small cloud. The electrons carry a negative charge and the protons carry a positive charge. In a normal (neutral) atom the number of protons and the number of electrons are equal. Often, but not always, the number of neutrons is the same, too.
What is an atom?

The electron has a negative charge, it rotates around the positive nucleus.
Hence, it is a charged particle that moves with acceleration. As is known from classical physics, such a system emits an electromagnetic field, hence it loses energy.
Therefore, the atom must go to end.
But the atom is stable.
Why?

 

[flacaltenn]

It's an electromagnetic wave.

I am trying to understand that. An electromagnetic wave has mass. It has negitive and positive poles whereas radio waves have neither. I am still no closer to understanding what a radio signal "is".

They are both "pure energy". They have the ability to TRANSFER energy thru vacuums and infinite distances. When a light or radio transmitter emits these packages, it loses no mass, just energy. AND it will propagate FOREVER as a function of it's focusing on initial lauch. When they are absorbed, no mass is gained.

The MASS is a construct of energy/mass duality.. You might have heard of the "laser propelled space probes". About the size of a "sticky dot". That would be POWERED by giant lasers from earth. Hitting a small piece of "tiny mass object" with a giant laser that doesn't "fry them" will cause an absorption of TINY amounts of energy. That absorption is a kinetic energy "kick" -- but no MASS is transferred in the process. In a way -- it must have "POTENTIAL" mass to cause an energy transfer without violating Newtonian basic physics..

Both light photons and EM signals are self-contained energy packets. They DIFFER in their properties of wavelength within the 2 phenomenon. For radio waves, propagation is different for Low Freq RF versus High Frequency RF. With the LATTER being "line of sight" propagation -- more like photons. Thus the higher excitation energies of the higher frequencies affect their propagation characteristics.

 

[Crepitus]

It's an electromagnetic wave.

I am trying to understand that. An electromagnetic wave has mass. It has negitive and positive poles whereas radio waves have neither. I am still no closer to understanding what a radio signal "is".

They are both "pure energy". They have the ability to TRANSFER energy thru vacuums and infinite distances. When a light or radio transmitter emits these packages, it loses no mass, just energy. AND it will propagate FOREVER as a function of it's focusing on initial lauch. When they are absorbed, no mass is gained.

The MASS is a construct of energy/mass duality.. You might have heard of the "laser propelled space probes". About the size of a "sticky dot". That would be POWERED by giant lasers from earth. Hitting a small piece of "tiny mass object" with a giant laser that doesn't "fry them" will cause an absorption of TINY amounts of energy. That absorption is a kinetic energy "kick" -- but no MASS is transferred in the process. In a way -- it must have "POTENTIAL" mass to cause an energy transfer without violating Newtonian basic physics..

Both light photons and EM signals are self-contained energy packets. They DIFFER in their properties of wavelength within the 2 phenomenon. For radio waves, propagation is different for Low Freq RF versus High Frequency RF. With the LATTER being "line of sight" propagation -- more like photons. Thus the higher excitation energies of the higher frequencies affect their propagation characteristics.

Em signals are photons aren't they? Just higher and lower energy than visible light?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

It's an electromagnetic wave.

I am trying to understand that. An electromagnetic wave has mass. It has negitive and positive poles whereas radio waves have neither. I am still no closer to understanding what a radio signal "is".

Electromagnetic waves do NOT have mass, and it does not have poles.

 

[flacaltenn]

It's an electromagnetic wave.

I am trying to understand that. An electromagnetic wave has mass. It has negitive and positive poles whereas radio waves have neither. I am still no closer to understanding what a radio signal "is".

They are both "pure energy". They have the ability to TRANSFER energy thru vacuums and infinite distances. When a light or radio transmitter emits these packages, it loses no mass, just energy. AND it will propagate FOREVER as a function of it's focusing on initial lauch. When they are absorbed, no mass is gained.

The MASS is a construct of energy/mass duality.. You might have heard of the "laser propelled space probes". About the size of a "sticky dot". That would be POWERED by giant lasers from earth. Hitting a small piece of "tiny mass object" with a giant laser that doesn't "fry them" will cause an absorption of TINY amounts of energy. That absorption is a kinetic energy "kick" -- but no MASS is transferred in the process. In a way -- it must have "POTENTIAL" mass to cause an energy transfer without violating Newtonian basic physics..

Both light photons and EM signals are self-contained energy packets. They DIFFER in their properties of wavelength within the 2 phenomenon. For radio waves, propagation is different for Low Freq RF versus High Frequency RF. With the LATTER being "line of sight" propagation -- more like photons. Thus the higher excitation energies of the higher frequencies affect their propagation characteristics.

Em signals are photons aren't they? Just higher and lower energy than visible light?

Not exactly. "photon" is often used as generalized term for all EM packets of energy. But photons manifest in a differing form. They are not "bound up" by a self-contained EM field. Or at least, I'm unaware of any Physics resolution that makes that representation. They adhere more closely to the quantum descriptions of "pure energy". And although they can be modulated to carry information just like radio waves, they don't lend to themselves well to frequency (FM) modulation because shifting "colors" of light is not as easy.

The main difference is in the atomic scale GENERATION of these fields and waves.. For all practical purposes all differing characteristics between a light photon and any EM "photon" is due to the SIZE of it's wavelength or frequency.

Electromagnetic radiation - Continuous spectra of electromagnetic radiation

Forms Of Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic radiation appears in a wide variety of forms and manifestations. Yet, these diverse phenomena are understood to comprise a single aspect of nature, following simple physical principles. Common to all forms is the fact that electromagnetic radiation interacts with and is generated by electric charges. The apparent differences in the phenomena arise from the question in which environment and under what circumstances can charges respond on the time scale of the frequency ν of the radiation.

At smaller frequencies ν (smaller than 1012 hertz), electric charges typically are the freely moving electrons in the metal components of antennas or the free electrons and ions in space that give rise to phenomena related to radio waves, radar waves, and microwaves. At higher frequencies (1012 to 5 × 1014 hertz), in the infrared region of the spectrum, the moving charges are primarily associated with the rotations and vibrations of molecules and the motions of atomsbonded together in materials. Electromagnetic radiation in the visible range to X-rays have frequencies that correspond to charges within atoms, whereas gamma rays are associated with frequencies of charges within atomic nuclei. The characteristics of electromagnetic radiation occurring in the different regions of the spectrum are described in this section.

 

[Crepitus]

It's an electromagnetic wave.

I am trying to understand that. An electromagnetic wave has mass. It has negitive and positive poles whereas radio waves have neither. I am still no closer to understanding what a radio signal "is".

They are both "pure energy". They have the ability to TRANSFER energy thru vacuums and infinite distances. When a light or radio transmitter emits these packages, it loses no mass, just energy. AND it will propagate FOREVER as a function of it's focusing on initial lauch. When they are absorbed, no mass is gained.

The MASS is a construct of energy/mass duality.. You might have heard of the "laser propelled space probes". About the size of a "sticky dot". That would be POWERED by giant lasers from earth. Hitting a small piece of "tiny mass object" with a giant laser that doesn't "fry them" will cause an absorption of TINY amounts of energy. That absorption is a kinetic energy "kick" -- but no MASS is transferred in the process. In a way -- it must have "POTENTIAL" mass to cause an energy transfer without violating Newtonian basic physics..

Both light photons and EM signals are self-contained energy packets. They DIFFER in their properties of wavelength within the 2 phenomenon. For radio waves, propagation is different for Low Freq RF versus High Frequency RF. With the LATTER being "line of sight" propagation -- more like photons. Thus the higher excitation energies of the higher frequencies affect their propagation characteristics.

Em signals are photons aren't they? Just higher and lower energy than visible light?

Not exactly. "photon" is often used as generalized term for all EM packets of energy. But photons manifest in a differing form. They are not "bound up" by a self-contained EM field. Or at least, I'm unaware of any Physics resolution that makes that representation. They adhere more closely to the quantum descriptions of "pure energy". And although they can be modulated to carry information just like radio waves, they don't lend to themselves well to frequency (FM) modulation because shifting "colors" of light is not as easy.

The main difference is in the atomic scale GENERATION of these fields and waves.. For all practical purposes all differing characteristics between a light photon and any EM "photon" is due to the SIZE of it's wavelength or frequency.

Electromagnetic radiation - Continuous spectra of electromagnetic radiation

Forms Of Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic radiation appears in a wide variety of forms and manifestations. Yet, these diverse phenomena are understood to comprise a single aspect of nature, following simple physical principles. Common to all forms is the fact that electromagnetic radiation interacts with and is generated by electric charges. The apparent differences in the phenomena arise from the question in which environment and under what circumstances can charges respond on the time scale of the frequency ν of the radiation.

At smaller frequencies ν (smaller than 1012 hertz), electric charges typically are the freely moving electrons in the metal components of antennas or the free electrons and ions in space that give rise to phenomena related to radio waves, radar waves, and microwaves. At higher frequencies (1012 to 5 × 1014 hertz), in the infrared region of the spectrum, the moving charges are primarily associated with the rotations and vibrations of molecules and the motions of atomsbonded together in materials. Electromagnetic radiation in the visible range to X-rays have frequencies that correspond to charges within atoms, whereas gamma rays are associated with frequencies of charges within atomic nuclei. The characteristics of electromagnetic radiation occurring in the different regions of the spectrum are described in this section.

Huh. I'm not a physicist or anything, I just read a lot. I must have misunderstood something or missed something cause I thought everything from gamma rays on down was photons of varying energy levels.

 

[toobfreak]

It's an electromagnetic wave.

I am trying to understand that. An electromagnetic wave has mass. It has negitive and positive poles whereas radio waves have neither. I am still no closer to understanding what a radio signal "is".

They are both "pure energy". They have the ability to TRANSFER energy thru vacuums and infinite distances. When a light or radio transmitter emits these packages, it loses no mass, just energy. AND it will propagate FOREVER as a function of it's focusing on initial lauch. When they are absorbed, no mass is gained.

The MASS is a construct of energy/mass duality.. You might have heard of the "laser propelled space probes". About the size of a "sticky dot". That would be POWERED by giant lasers from earth. Hitting a small piece of "tiny mass object" with a giant laser that doesn't "fry them" will cause an absorption of TINY amounts of energy. That absorption is a kinetic energy "kick" -- but no MASS is transferred in the process. In a way -- it must have "POTENTIAL" mass to cause an energy transfer without violating Newtonian basic physics..

Both light photons and EM signals are self-contained energy packets. They DIFFER in their properties of wavelength within the 2 phenomenon. For radio waves, propagation is different for Low Freq RF versus High Frequency RF. With the LATTER being "line of sight" propagation -- more like photons. Thus the higher excitation energies of the higher frequencies affect their propagation characteristics.

Em signals are photons aren't they? Just higher and lower energy than visible light?

Not exactly. "photon" is often used as generalized term for all EM packets of energy. But photons manifest in a differing form. They are not "bound up" by a self-contained EM field. Or at least, I'm unaware of any Physics resolution that makes that representation. They adhere more closely to the quantum descriptions of "pure energy". And although they can be modulated to carry information just like radio waves, they don't lend to themselves well to frequency (FM) modulation because shifting "colors" of light is not as easy.

The main difference is in the atomic scale GENERATION of these fields and waves.. For all practical purposes all differing characteristics between a light photon and any EM "photon" is due to the SIZE of it's wavelength or frequency.

Electromagnetic radiation - Continuous spectra of electromagnetic radiation

Forms Of Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic radiation appears in a wide variety of forms and manifestations. Yet, these diverse phenomena are understood to comprise a single aspect of nature, following simple physical principles. Common to all forms is the fact that electromagnetic radiation interacts with and is generated by electric charges. The apparent differences in the phenomena arise from the question in which environment and under what circumstances can charges respond on the time scale of the frequency ν of the radiation.

At smaller frequencies ν (smaller than 1012 hertz), electric charges typically are the freely moving electrons in the metal components of antennas or the free electrons and ions in space that give rise to phenomena related to radio waves, radar waves, and microwaves. At higher frequencies (1012 to 5 × 1014 hertz), in the infrared region of the spectrum, the moving charges are primarily associated with the rotations and vibrations of molecules and the motions of atomsbonded together in materials. Electromagnetic radiation in the visible range to X-rays have frequencies that correspond to charges within atoms, whereas gamma rays are associated with frequencies of charges within atomic nuclei. The characteristics of electromagnetic radiation occurring in the different regions of the spectrum are described in this section.

Huh. I'm not a physicist or anything, I just read a lot. I must have misunderstood something or missed something cause I thought everything from gamma rays on down was photons of varying energy levels.

You are confusing the FORCE (electromagnetic waves, which vary in frequency/wave length) with the FORCE CARRIER.

 

[watchingfromafar]

the FORCE CARRIER.

And this force carrier has "mass"

 

[toobfreak]

the FORCE CARRIER.

And this force carrier has "mass"

JESUS CRIMINY. Where did you people get your physics educations, off the back of a cereal box? I've already explained this. FlacCalTenn has explained it. NO MASS! The only force carrier that has mass are the w and z bosons (convey the weak nuclear force). How can a photon have mass when it travels at the speed of light? To do otherwise violates Special Relativity. How can a photon have mass when it must obey the Bose-Einstein state allowing an infinite number of photons to occupy the same space?

The photon conveys the medium / quantum energy packets by which the electromagnetic wave structure is allowed to exist and propagate. But it is the charged lepton (an elementary particle) that conveys charge, polarity, direction and spin of the electronic field that all radiation is made out of, from high energy gamma rays down to the lowly radio wave. Can't make it any more succinct than that.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

We're very far away from the simple definition of a radio signal.
The fact is, even the ignition noise from your crapped out humped over VW Bug distributor is a radio signal, albeit a very spiky one.

I brought that up because the very first actual "RADIO" transmitters weren't a whole lot different.

Demonstration of spark gap transmitter and reciever


Antique "commercial" spark gap transmitter

 

[addy smith]

Radio signals are basically the relationship between frequency and wavelength. The Radio Signals are used for communication; television, cellphones etc. They all receive radio waves and change into mechanical vibration in the speaker to develop sound waves that can audible.

 

[Asclepias]

I know we know how to detect a radio signal.

I know we know how to send a radio signal.

I know a radio signal can travel through a vacuum.

I know a radio signal can travel through a solid object.

But this does not tell me what a radio signal “IS”.

Anybody have a clue?

Its an electronic oscillation that carries audio and visual data..

 

[Billy_Bob]

I know we know how to detect a radio signal.

I know we know how to send a radio signal.

I know a radio signal can travel through a vacuum.

I know a radio signal can travel through a solid object.

But this does not tell me what a radio signal “IS”.

Anybody have a clue?

EM... ElectroMagnetic radiation.

A radio wave is a set bandwidth of EM where individual parts of the band create certain responses. Only very high frequency EM waves can penetrate solid objects. Older pack cell phones needed line of site to operate and were so low in frequency they left dead spots. Today's cell phones are in the range of 4-5Ghz and can get in just about any where, although dense objects can block its radiation.

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

This points to the fact that we are descended from the same primitive life forms as plants.
Not only descended from apes, but, ultimately, related to cabbages...

No, it proves a CREATOR developed a set of laws that govern our physical universe.

 

[watchingfromafar]

Radio waves can travel through solid objects and travel in a vacuum and the only way we know it exists is that we can detect its passing. It is real and so it exists and since it exists it must occupy space and time; making it an element that someday will be added to the periodic table.

 

[Billy_Bob]

Radio waves can travel through solid objects and travel in a vacuum and the only way we know it exists is that we can detect its passing. It is real and so it exists and since it exists it must occupy space and time; making it an element that someday will be added to the periodic table.

Sub atomic particle that has a resonate frequency.

There are many theroy's.

 

[watchingfromafar]

I believe there is a way to use a source of energy that splits a water molecule and then reunites this molecule giving off more energy than was needed to cause the split in the first place. The action-reaction repeats itself giving off a continuous energy wave in the form of heat. This heat in turn can create mechanical energy that in turn can create electrical energy.

I believe the key to this process is the frequency of the water molecule. If we can match this frequency the molecule will split apart and then re-unite in a continuous loop.

This would defy the laws of conservation of energy because we are getting out more energy than was used to create this reaction in the first place or maybe not. Maybe there was an energy source in the beginning that just was not accounted for. That extra energy source is where photons come in but I have no earthly idea why.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Radio waves can travel through solid objects and travel in a vacuum and the only way we know it exists is that we can detect its passing. It is real and so it exists and since it exists it must occupy space and time; making it an element that someday will be added to the periodic table.

Wrong. It isn't a piece of physical matter.
Sorry but your statement makes absolutely no sense.

 

[Asclepias]

Radio waves can travel through solid objects and travel in a vacuum and the only way we know it exists is that we can detect its passing. It is real and so it exists and since it exists it must occupy space and time; making it an element that someday will be added to the periodic table.

Wrong. It isn't a piece of physical matter.
Sorry but your statement makes absolutely no sense.

As far as we know. Since it takes time for them to move they must have a physical form. Just because modern science is not smart enough to figure it out doesnt mean its not physical.