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1.S: The Nature of Light (Summary) Thumbnail: An EM wave, such as light, is a transverse wave. The electric E→ E and magnetic B→ B fields are perpendicular to the direction of propagation. The direction of polarization of the wave is the direction of the electric field. In this chapter, we study the basic properties of light.
- 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.Absorption vs propagation of light. If light wave frequency = molecules resonant frequency. Light is absorbed (propagation is stopped) Medium is opaque. If light wave frequency ≠ molecules resonant frequency. Light is reradiated and propagated forward through medium. Medium is transparent. In a solid or liquid, propagation is in straight line.
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The idea that light can display both wave and particle characteristics is called wave-particle duality, which is examined in Photons and Matter Waves. Figure 1.1.1 1.1. 1: Due to total internal reflection, an underwater swimmer’s image is reflected back into the water where the camera is located. The circular ripple in the image center is ...
The speed of light in a vacuum is c = 2.99792458 × 108m / s ≈ 3.00 × 108m / s. The index of refraction of a material is n = c / v, where v is the speed of light in a material and c is the speed of light in a vacuum. The ray model of light describes the path of light as straight lines. The part of optics dealing with the ray aspect of light ...
Chapter 1 Basic Properties of Light. Light is described using 3 pictures - seemingly contradictory! Waves - Rays - Photons. A propagating “disturbance” in electric and magnetic field (simultaneously!) At a fixed point in space, the electric field oscillates in time. At a fixed point in time, we see a wave train frozen.
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What are the properties of light waves?
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What are the properties of light?
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Can light display both wave and particle characteristics?
What are the physical properties of an electromagnetic wave?
The properties of light are parameterized in similar ways in both the classical (wave) and semiclassical (photon) pictures of light. The fundamental physical properties of an electromagnetic wave are its wavelength λ, frequency ν and polarization state; alternatively, the first two of these properties may be stated in the form of a wave number k = 2πλ and angular frequency ω = 2πν.
