Radiofrequency

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Radiofrequency (RF) is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 20 kilohertz (kHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz) in the electromagnetic spectrum. This corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves. Since most of this range is beyond the vibration rate that most mechanical systems can respond to, RF usually refers to oscillations in electrical circuits or electromagnetic radiation.

History[edit | edit source]

The term radiofrequency was in use by the mid 20th century. The British Royal Navy identified RF circuits in wireless communication systems in 1940. The range of RF communication has greatly expanded over the years to include everything from AM radio to satellite communications.

Applications[edit | edit source]

Radiofrequency is used in various fields such as telecommunications, heating, RF surgery, and in medical treatments such as MRIs and RF Ablation.

Telecommunications[edit | edit source]

In telecommunications, RF is used in broadcasting to transmit information over the airwaves. This includes services like television, radio, and mobile phone networks.

Heating[edit | edit source]

In industrial heating systems, RF is used to generate heat in materials for purposes such as sealing, welding, and changing properties of the materials.

RF Surgery[edit | edit source]

In medicine, RF is used in RF surgery to cut and coagulate tissue. This is done using a high-frequency alternating current.

Medical Treatments[edit | edit source]

In medical treatments, RF is used in procedures like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and RF Ablation. In MRI, RF pulses are used to produce detailed images of the body. In RF Ablation, RF is used to destroy harmful tissues in the body.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Radiofrequency Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD