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- Reflection. Reflection is when incident light (incoming light) hits an object and bounces off. Very smooth surfaces such as mirrors reflect almost all incident light.
- Absorption. Absorption occurs when photons from incident light hit atoms and molecules and cause them to vibrate. The more an object's molecules move and vibrate, the hotter it becomes.
- Diffraction. Diffraction is the bending and spreading of waves around an obstacle. It is most pronounced when a light wave strikes an object with a size comparable to its own wavelength.
- Scatter. Scattering occurs when light bounces off an object in a variety of directions. The amount of scattering that takes place depends on the wavelength of the light and the size and structure of the object.
May 24, 2024 · We know that light is a wave based on how it behaves – it exhibits the same properties of other waves we have examined – it interferes with itself, it follows an inverse-square law for intensity (brightness), and so on.
- Waves of Light
- Colours of Light
- To Summarise
These different colours of light have different wavelengths and frequencies. Red light has the longest wavelength, and the lowest frequency of the visible spectrum. Violet has the shortest wavelength, and the highest frequency of the visible spectrum.
Mixing coloured materials, such as paint, is an example of subtractive colour mixing. Red paint appears red to us because when white light strikes it, the red pigments reflect the red wavelengths of light and absorball of the wavelengths. This reflected light is what is seen by our eyes. The same is true for all of the other colours. So what about ...
Light travels very fast - at the speed of light in fact!Light travels as waves.Light travels in straight lines.For example, when visible light encounters anything large enough that we can observe it with unaided eyes, such as a coin, it acts like a ray, with generally negligible wave characteristics. In all of these cases, we can model the path of light as straight lines.
One characteristic of wave reflection is that the angle at which the wave approaches a flat reflecting surface is equal to the angle at which the wave leaves the surface. This characteristic is observed for water waves and sound waves. It is also observed for light waves.
Apr 10, 2022 · Explain the evidence for Maxwell’s electromagnetic model of light. Describe the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and speed of light. Discuss the particle model of light and the definition of photon. Explain how and why the amount of light we see from an object depends upon its distance.
People also ask
What is the wavelike nature of light?
How do light waves behave across the electromagnetic spectrum?
Is light a wave?
What are the properties of light waves?
How do light waves demonstrate their wave nature?
How does light behave?
Light is a transverse, electromagnetic wave that can be seen by the typical human. The wave nature of light was first illustrated through experiments on diffraction and interference . Like all electromagnetic waves, light can travel through a vacuum.
