How are radio waves, visible light, X-rays, and gamma rays related?

Radio waves, visible light, X-rays, and gamma rays are all forms of electromagnetic radiation. Together, they constitute the electromagnetic spectrum, which is the entire distribution of radiation organized by frequency or wavelength.1

Despite their different names and practical applications, these forms share fundamental physical principles:

• Universal Speed: All electromagnetic waves travel through a vacuum at the same speed of light, defined as $c=\lambda \nu$, where $\lambda$ is the wavelength and $\nu$ is the frequency.2
• Wave-Particle Nature: They are understood as waves of electric and magnetic fields that also exhibit particle-like properties as photons.32
• Interaction with Matter: All forms are generated by and interact with electric charges. The differences in their behavior arise from the scale of these interactions: radio waves involve free electrons in antennas, while X-rays and gamma rays involve charges within atoms and atomic nuclei, respectively.12

Because their wavelengths and energies vary by vast magnitudes, they are categorized into contiguous, overlapping regions of the spectrum.12