Learn All About Light And Its Visible Spectrum

Introduction

Visible light is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye. It has a wavelength range of approximately 400 nanometers (nm) to 700 nm and is therefore also known as the visible spectrum. The human eye is sensitive to this range of wavelengths because the retina, a layer of cells at the back of the eye, is sensitive to these wavelengths.

Light is a type of energy that travels through space in the form of electromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic waves are made up of electric and magnetic fields that oscillate at right angles to each other, and they travel through the vacuum of space at a speed of approximately 299,792,458 meters per second, which is the speed of light in a vacuum.

Visible Spectrum

The visible spectrum is just a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which also includes other types of electromagnetic radiation such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays. Each type of electromagnetic radiation has a different wavelength and frequency and is therefore suitable for different applications.

The colours of the visible spectrum are often depicted in a rainbow, with red at one end, and orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet at the other end. These colours are often referred to as ROYGBIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).

The colours of the visible spectrum are produced by different wavelengths of light. When light with different wavelengths is mixed, it appears white to the human eye.

Properties of Light

Light is produced by a process called emission, which occurs when an object emits energy in the form of electromagnetic waves. Different objects emit light with different wavelengths, and therefore produce different colours. For example, the sun emits light with a wide range of wavelengths and therefore appears white to the human eye.

Light is also absorbed by objects, which is the process by which an object absorbs energy in the form of electromagnetic waves. The absorbed light is then transformed into other forms of energy, such as heat. For example, when you wear a black shirt on a hot day, the black shirt absorbs more light than a white shirt and therefore gets hotter.

Light can also be reflected by objects, which is the process by which an object reflects light into the environment. The colour of an object is determined by the wavelengths of light that it reflects. For example, a red apple appears red because it reflects red light and absorbs all other wavelengths of light.

The human eye is sensitive to a wide range of light intensities and can adjust to different lighting conditions. This ability is known as adaptability, and it is achieved through the pupil, which is the small opening in the centre of the eye that controls the amount of light that enters the eye. The pupil gets smaller in bright light and larger in dim light, which helps the eye to adjust to different lighting conditions.

Light also can travel through different mediums, such as air, water, and glass. When light travels through a medium, it may be absorbed, reflected, or refracted, which is the process by which light changes direction as it travels through a medium with a different refractive index.

The refractive index of a medium is a measure of how much light is bent as it travels through the medium. For example, light travels more slowly through water than it does through air, and therefore is bent more as it travels from air to water. This phenomenon is known as refraction, and it is the reason why objects appear distorted when viewed through water.

Refraction is also the reason why lenses, such as those found in eyeglasses and cameras, are able to focus light. Lenses are made of transparent materials, such as glass or plastic, that have different refractive indices. When light passes through a lens, it is refracted, or bent, by the lens, which allows the lens to focus the light on a specific point.

Applications of Light

There are many applications of light in our daily life. Light helps human beings to see everything around us. Due to various reasons, the vision of human beings gets defective. Lenses can be used to correct vision problems, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness. Sunlight provides vitamin D, which has a vital role in our health. Light is also used to prepare food with the help of a solar cooker.

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