Light Fundamental Properties

Fundamentals of Light Light is radiation, which we can see. Light is only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, which encompasses radiation from gamma rays to radio waves Light DOES NOT require a medium!

Fundamentals of Light Electromagnetic radiation is carried by particles called photons, which have a wave-like nature, and a particle like nature Photons can be modeled with transverse waves, and can be modeled as point particles

Fundamentals of Light Electromagnetic radiation comes from accelerating charges, or electrons changing their energy level within an atom.

Fundamentals of Light Light has an absolute speed. We use the variable c as the constant for the speed of light c = 3x10^8 m/s = 300,000,000 m/s

Fundamentals of Light Video on the measurement of the speed of light Then a video on the Michaelson experiment

Fundamentals of Light A light year is the distance light travels in one year To convert: 1 light year X 365 days/year X 24 hours/day X 60min/hour X 60sec/min X 3x10^8m/sec 1 light year = 9.5 x 10^15m

Fundamentals of Light Objects that are transparent allow light to pass through them. The atoms absorb and transmit the light so it passes through the material. Objects that are opaque do not let light pass through them. The atoms in these materials absorb the light as kinetic energy instead of letting it pass through.

Fundamentals of Light Transverse waves can oscillate up and down, or left and right. The wave is therefore said to be polarized in that direction The polarization depends on the direction of vibration the electron has. Vertically oscillating electron = vertically oscillating photon Sunglasses can filter out light of a particular polarization, making it dimmer

Fundamentals of Light Polarized light have vibrations that occur in one plane (vertical or horizontal), non polarized light has light which has multiple types of polarization 3D glasses have lenses with different polarizations, which creates the illusion of 3D images!

Fundamentals of Light Do the worksheet Then go to pg 419 for # 1,6,7,14,20,28