Electromagnetism

A ray of light, a phenomenon made possible by Electromagnetism.

**Electromagnetism** is one of the four Great Forces that split from the Superforce during Genesis. It is carried by photons.

Electromagnetism is the second most powerful of the Great Forces, inferior only to the Strong Force, which is 100 times stronger. It is one of the two Great Forces capable of acting on a macroscopic level, the other being Gravity.

Electromagnetism is responsible for the existence of atoms, as it alone allows electrons to orbit nuclei. Electromagnetism is also responsible for interactions between atoms (chemistry), therefore the backbone of all biological life. Electromagnetism is also responsible for electromagnetic radiation.

## Charge

Electromagnetism can be of positive, negative or neutral nature. The positive and negative duality of electromagnetism is responsible for electromagnetic charge. Particles with opposite charges (positive and negative) attract one another, whereas particles with like charges (positive and positive or negative and negative) repel one another.

This property is responsible for electromagnetism's most well known attributes, electricity and magnetism. In addition, it governs all of chemistry and many behaviors on the subatomic level as well.

### Atoms

Atoms, the main constituents of matter, are held together by electromagnetism. Positive protons are located in the nuclei of the atoms and negative electrons orbit around these nuclei. The repulsion between protons is countered by the Strong Force, keeping the nucleus together.

### Electricity

Electricity is a phenomenon that can arise in materials where electrons are able to move continuously from atom to atom. Such materials include metals, certain carbon allotropes, liquid ionic compounds and dissolved ionic compounds. Electricity is produced when a magnetic field is used to drive electrons around a circuit of conductive material. Electricity can be used to propagate energy, and can be easily turned into heat, light, sound and movement energy.

### Magnetism

Magnetism is a phenomenon caused by the positive and negative charges in a material all being aligned, creating a powerful electromagnetic force field. This force field can be used to push against or move certain materials, although tractism is more useful for this purpose as it has a more universal pushing power.

## Light

Neutral electromagnetism is the basis of electromagnetic radiation, commonly known as light. This involves the release of free photons of various wavelengths, the wavelength determined by the energy of the source, with longer wavelengths being produced by less energetic sources and shorter wavelengths being produced by more energetic sources.

### Planck Rays

These are the most powerful form of radiation possible, with a wavelength of the Planck length. This kind of radiation was only produced in the earliest stages of Genesis. Due to their immense power, Planck rays almost immediately condense to create matter or antimatter.

### High Energy Gamma Rays

This is the most energetic form of radiation. These rays are capable of completely ionizing many atoms. High energy gamma rays are most commonly emitted by gamma ray bursts, black hole jets and some nuclear reactions. This form of radiation is occasionally weaponized.

### Gamma Rays

This is a high energy form of radiation that is capable of killing most lifeforms that suffer intense exposure, as well as causing tumors in those that are mildly exposed. Gamma rays are commonly emitted in nuclear reactions, including those in stars and in the interior of many planets. Gamma rays are also released by radioactive materials like uranium, as well as in artificial nuclear explosions. Gamma rays are sometimes weaponized, as they can kill lifeforms without damaging other objects.

### X-Rays

This is a high energy form of radiation, but far less energetic than gamma rays, and only capable of damaging lifeforms that experienced intense or prolonged exposure. X-rays are commonly emitted by high energy events such as stellar flares and some magnetic phenomena. X-rays can be used as scanning technique, since they can penetrate certain materials but were reflected by others. For example, they pass through most living tissue but are reflected by calcium carbonate and other minerals, allowing them to be used in the medical industry to image bones and skeletons.

### Ultraviolet

This form of radiation is commonly emitted in large amounts by stars. All stars emit some ultraviolet, although cooler red stars emit lower amounts of it, whereas the hottest blue stars emit a large portion of their energy as ultraviolet. The presence of ultraviolet can be felt as heat, and it is capable of burning skin and damaging eyes, although it is invisible to humans.

### Visible Light

This form of radiation encompasses a relatively narrow part of the energy spectrum. Nevertheless, visible light frequencies are the most common emitted by stars, including the Sun, which is why it is so important to life. Higher energy visible light appears purple, whereas lower energy visible light appears red. Visible light is essential to photosynthesis, and can also be used to generate electricity using photovoltaic cells.

### Infrared

This form of radiation is very common, as it is emitted by practically every energetic material interaction. Infrared is equivalent to heat. All chemical reactions, as well as physical reactions that caused any kind of friction, produce infrared. Cool stars and brown dwarfs (as well as planets) emit large amounts of infrared. Infrared can be detected by heat vision sensors.

### Microwaves

This low energy form of radiation is released by some forms of matter. However, most matter releases infrared instead. This form of radiation is, however, continuously present in space, a remnant of what was once Planck Rays during Genesis. Microwaves can be concentrated and used to heat up matter. The most common use of this is to heat up food, but the technology could also be weaponized. Microwaves have wavelengths from around one millimeter to one meter.

### Radio Waves

This is a very low energy form of radiation, and can be used for communication. Radio waves are emitted by some astrophysical events. Radio waves have wavelengths from around 1 meter up to 100,000 kilometers (ultra low energy).

### Shift Waves

This is the lowest energy form of radiation, with a wavelength in excess of 100,000 kilometers, and often up to 1 billion kilometers. This form of radiation is predicted to exist in the very distant future, when cosmological redshift has stretched microwaves and radio waves to incredibly low energy states. They are very difficult to produce, but can be generated using sophisticated technology for the purpose of concealed communication, the advantage being that such waves are incredibly difficult to detect.