The main difference between the wavelength of a microwave and that of a radio wave lies in their frequencies and the electromagnetic spectrum bands to which they belong.
Microwaves and radio waves are both types of electromagnetic waves, but they have different frequency ranges and, consequently, different wavelengths. The electromagnetic spectrum spans a wide range of frequencies and wavelengths, from low-frequency radio waves with long wavelengths to high-frequency gamma rays with short wavelengths.
Radio waves generally refer to the electromagnetic waves with lower frequencies and longer wavelengths. They typically cover the frequency range of about 30 kHz (kilohertz) to 300 GHz (gigahertz). The corresponding wavelength range is approximately 1 millimeter (mm) to 10,000 kilometers (km). Radio waves are commonly used for broadcasting, communication (AM, FM, TV), and other long-range wireless applications.
Microwaves, on the other hand, have higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths compared to radio waves. They cover the frequency range from 300 MHz (megahertz) to 300 GHz (gigahertz). The corresponding wavelength range is approximately 1 millimeter (mm) to 1 meter (m). Microwaves are used in various applications, including microwave ovens, satellite communication, radar systems, and some wireless data transmission.
To summarize, the main difference between the wavelength of a microwave and that of a radio wave is that microwaves have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies than radio waves.