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Lesson context: Airborne remote sensing typically involves sensing reflected or emitted electromagnetic (EM) radiation. In addressing the overall problem, students will need to have a basic understanding of the EM Spectrum and various types of EM radiation, especially infrared and visible. During this lesson, students learn that there are wavelengths of EM radiation we can and cannot detect with our eyes. Students work in groups to investigate all of the types of EM radiation. They will identify visible and infrared radiation as useful forms of EM radiation to study lava flows. The understanding of EM radiation developed in this lesson, will help students when they analyze the reflected visible and mid-infrared images in the "Analyzing data" lesson to solve the overall problem of locating active lava flows on Kilauea.

Key science concepts:

• Types of EM radiation 

• Frequencies and wavelength

• EM spectrum: visible, infrared, and microwave region

• Radiation–absorption and reflection

Links to teacher resources:

• Fundamentals of Remote Sensing Tutorial
• Electromagnetic spectrum - NASA's Observatorium

Problems addressed in this lesson:

• What are the types of EM radiation?
• What is the difference between the absorption radiation and the reflection radiation?
• What types of EM gradations will be appropriate to study lava flows on Kilauea? 

Activity bursts:

• Examining wavelength we can't detect with our eyes - Invisible Light.
• Investigating all forms of EM radiation - Activity sheet: How Does Remote Sensing Work? (RSS-2)
• Reflection radiation - Activity sheet: Nature of light (RSS-3)
• Reflection and absorption radiation - Colors Reflected From Colored Objects
• Applying EM radiation in the KaAMS mission - Introduction To The Study of Remote Sensing

Links to other resources: