The Wave Nature of Light Electrons hold the key to understanding why substances behave as they do. When atoms react it is their outer pars, their electrons, that interact . We refer to the arrangements of electrons in atoms as their electronic structure .
Electromagnetic radiation has both electric and magnetic properties.
The wave-like property of electromagnetic radiation is due to the periodic oscillations of these components. Imagine you are on the beach watching the ocean waves go by, and you want to know the speed of the waves. There is an island offshore with a palm tree that will serve as a convenient frame of reference. Sodium vapor lamps are sometimes used for public lighting. They give off a yellowish light with a wavelength of 589 nm.