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Questions and Answers
What is the major source of light in the world?
What happens when a light beam meets a new material at an angle other than perpendicular?
What happens when a light photon is absorbed by a single molecule?
What is the property of light that allows it to be focused?
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What is the term for the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to its speed in a given material?
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What is the basis of the use of IR light in medicine?
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What is the term for when a lower energy light photon is emitted after a photon is absorbed?
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What is the energy of a photon used for when it is absorbed by a molecule?
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What is the property of light that allows it to bend when passing from one material to another?
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What can happen to the energy of a photon when it is absorbed by a molecule?
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What is the term for the behavior of light where it acts as both a wave and a particle?
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What is the medical use of the heat produced by laser beams?
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What is the purpose of the chemical change caused by the absorption of a light photon in the retina?
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What is the medical application of the property of light where its energy is used to heat tissues?
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What is the behavior of light that is the basis of fluorescent light bulbs?
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How does the energy of a photon change when it is absorbed by a molecule?
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Study Notes
Light Properties
- The speed of light changes when it passes from one material to another, and this property is described by the index of refraction.
- When light meets a new material at an angle, it bends or is refracted, allowing it to be focused and enabling us to read and see objects clearly.
Wave-Particle Duality
- Light behaves as both a wave and a particle, exhibiting different properties depending on the situation.
- As a wave, light produces interference and diffraction, which are of minor importance in medicine.
- As a particle (photon), light can be absorbed by a single molecule, causing a chemical change and potentially an electrical signal.
Light Absorption and Energy
- When light is absorbed, its energy is often converted into heat, which is the basis for the medical use of IR light to heat tissues.
- The heat produced by laser beams is used to "weld" a detached retina to the back of the eyeball and to coagulate small blood vessels in the retina.
Fluorescence
- When a photon is absorbed, a lower energy light photon is sometimes emitted, a process known as fluorescence.
- Fluorescence is the basis for the fluorescent light bulb, and certain materials exhibit this property.
Light Properties
- The speed of light changes when it passes from one material to another, and this property is described by the index of refraction.
- When light meets a new material at an angle, it bends or is refracted, allowing it to be focused and enabling us to read and see objects clearly.
Wave-Particle Duality
- Light behaves as both a wave and a particle, exhibiting different properties depending on the situation.
- As a wave, light produces interference and diffraction, which are of minor importance in medicine.
- As a particle (photon), light can be absorbed by a single molecule, causing a chemical change and potentially an electrical signal.
Light Absorption and Energy
- When light is absorbed, its energy is often converted into heat, which is the basis for the medical use of IR light to heat tissues.
- The heat produced by laser beams is used to "weld" a detached retina to the back of the eyeball and to coagulate small blood vessels in the retina.
Fluorescence
- When a photon is absorbed, a lower energy light photon is sometimes emitted, a process known as fluorescence.
- Fluorescence is the basis for the fluorescent light bulb, and certain materials exhibit this property.
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Description
This quiz explores the interesting properties of light, its impact on human health, and its applications in medicine. Learn about the speed of light, refraction, and more.
