5 Questions
What property of laser light makes it more hazardous than ordinary light?
Coherence
What happens during absorption of a photon?
The photon disappears and the atomic system moves to an upper energy state
What is the average lifetime of an atomic system in the excited state during spontaneous emission?
10–8 s
What makes laser light monochromatic?
The wavelengths of the laser light are in phase in space and time
What distinguishes laser light from ordinary light in terms of directionality?
Laser light is emitted as a relatively narrow beam in a specific direction
Study Notes
Laser Light Properties
- Laser light is more hazardous than ordinary light due to its high intensity and ability to concentrate energy in a small area.
- The absorption of a photon causes an electron to transition from a lower energy state to a higher energy state.
Spontaneous Emission
- The average lifetime of an atomic system in the excited state during spontaneous emission is approximately 10^-8 seconds.
Monochromaticity
- Laser light is monochromatic because it is composed of a single frequency or wavelength, resulting in a single color.
Directionality
- Laser light is distinguished from ordinary light by its high directionality, which means it travels in a narrow beam with little divergence.
Test your knowledge of laser fundamentals with this quiz! Learn about the monochromatic nature and highly directional emission of laser light compared to ordinary light sources.
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