Questions and Answers
What is the speed of radiant energy?
What happens when electromagnetic radiation changes mediums?
What is the result of shining white light through a glass prism?
What is white light made of?
Signup and view all the answers
Who experimented with light and shined white light through a glass prism?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary reason why an object appears to have a certain color?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the unit used to measure the wavelengths of visible light?
Signup and view all the answers
What can be learned from the spectrum of light from a star?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens when light interacts with the atoms of chemical elements?
Signup and view all the answers
Why do different elements emit different frequencies of visible light when heated into a plasma state?
Signup and view all the answers
What is observed in the photoelectric effect?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the result of destructive interference in the double slit experiment?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the relationship between the frequency of a photon and its energy level?
Signup and view all the answers
What is observed when white light is shined through a prism?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the order of the colors in white light, from lowest energy level to highest?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Electromagnetic Spectrum
- The electromagnetic spectrum consists of a range of frequencies and wavelengths of electromagnetic radiant energy, including radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.
- Visible light is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum detectable by the human eye, consisting of an assortment of frequencies and wavelengths that emerge as all the colors of the rainbow.
White Light
- White light is made up of all the colors and frequencies of the visible light spectrum on the electromagnetic spectrum.
- It contains all the wavelengths and frequencies of the visible light spectrum.
- Shining white light through a glass prism separates it into its component frequencies, emerging as all the colors of the rainbow.
Properties of Light
- Light travels at approximately 300,000 km/s.
- When electromagnetic radiation changes mediums, it changes speed; light slows down when entering a denser medium.
- Different frequencies of light oscillate at different energy levels, causing them to slow down at slightly different speeds and change trajectories, resulting in the separation of white light into its component colors.
Wave-Particle Duality of Light
- Light can behave as both particles (photons) and waves.
- The photoelectric effect demonstrates light's particle behavior, while Thomas Young's double slit experiment confirms its wave-like properties.
- Monochromatic light fired through two small slits creates an interference pattern, demonstrating constructive and destructive interference.
Interference Pattern
- Constructive interference occurs when similar points on separate waves intersect, resulting in bright spots or lines.
- Destructive interference occurs when opposite points of separate waves meet, resulting in no wave present, and no light is observed.
White Light Spectrum
- The double slit experiment using sunlight creates an interference pattern comprising all the frequencies contained within the white light, i.e., all the colors of the rainbow.
- Each color of the rainbow is a range of frequencies of electromagnetic waves or photons oscillating at different frequencies, correlated with energy levels according to E=hf.
Composition of White Light
- White light shined through a glass prism separates into its individual frequencies, comprising all the colors of the rainbow.
- The colors of the rainbow can be remembered using the acronym VIBGYOR or ROYGBIV.
- Each color exists as a range of wavelengths or frequencies of electromagnetic radiation.
Wavelengths of Visible Light
-
Wavelengths of visible light can be measured in nanometers (nm), with 1 nanometer equal to 0.000000001 meters.
-
The wavelengths and frequencies of the visible light spectrum are listed in the table:
- Violet: 380-450 nm
- Blue: 450-485 nm
- Cyan: 485-500 nm
- Green: 500-565 nm
- Yellow: 565-590 nm
- Orange: 590-625 nm
- Red: 625-700 nm
Sources of White Light
- White light can come from sources that produce all the visible frequencies of light, such as the Sun, fluorescent light bulbs, or some stars.
- Spectrometry uses the separated frequencies of light to make observations, providing information on the composition of stars and planets.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Learn about the properties and components of white light, including its frequency and wavelength, and how it fits into the broader electromagnetic spectrum.
