The electromagnetic spectrum , in order of increasing frequency and decreasing wavelength , can be divided , for practical engineering purposes , into radio waves , microwaves , infrared radiation , visible light , ultraviolet radiation , X-rays and gamma rays .
Quantum mechanics developed from the study of electromagnetic waves , which include visible light seen in the colors of the rainbow , but also other waves including the more energetic and higher frequency waves like ultraviolet light , x-rays , and gamma rays plus the waves with longer wavelengths including infrared waves , microwaves and radio waves .