Key Ideas:
Light is Electromagnetic Radiation
Light the Messenger
Light: wave or particle?
Wavelength:
Length between crests of a wave
Wavelength () = distance between wave crests.
Length between troughs of a wave
Light as Waves and Photons
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Sequence of photon energies
Doppler Effect
Relative motion between source & observer
Way to measure speeds at a distance
Youngs double slit experiment
Describing a wave:
a
Amplitude (a) = height of crests above troughs.
Frequency (f) = number of crests passing per
second
 Electromagnetic Wave
Electric
Light travels like Field
Waves.

Different colors
Different
wavelengths
Magnetic
Field

Light as electromagnetic wave Wave Nature of Light

Electromagnetic Waves
Periodic changes in the strengths of electric &
magnetic fields.
Travels through a vacuum at the speed of light.
Doesnt need a medium to wave in.
Speed of light is a constant for all light waves:
c = 299,792.458 km/sec
Independent of wavelength or frequency.

Properties of Waves The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Light waves are characterized by three numbers:
Wavelength, (size of the wave)
Frequency, f (number of waves/second)
Wave speed, c
These are all related by:
c=f
Since c is the same for all light waves,
Longer means Smaller f
Sequence of wavelengths from low to high for
light is called the Electromagnetic Spectrum
low frequency= long wavelength
Examples:
Radio Waves, Microwaves, Infrared
high frequency=short wavelength
Examples:
Ultraviolet, X-rays, Gamma Rays
 The Electromagnetic Spectrum Visible Spectrum
Light we can see with our eyes:
Wavelengths: 400 700 nm
Frequencies: 7.51014 4.31014 waves/sec

Basic Colors (lowest to highest energy):

Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet

700 nm ------------- 550 nm ------------ 400 nm
ROYGBIV

QUIZ: Temperature
Approximately how long does it take light to
-determines
travel from the Sun to the Earth?
Brightness
a) 8 seconds
b) 8 minutes 150,000,000 km -determines
c) 8 hours
500 sec Color ( at
300,000 km/sec which most
d) 8 days
Of the light is
e) 8 months emitted)

Measures of Temperature
Absolute Temperature
At high temperatures:
Atoms & molecules move very rapidly.
At cooler temperatures:
Atoms & molecules move more slowly.
If it gets cold enough, all motion stops!
Absolute Zero
Corresponds to 273 Celsius (459 F)
physically unobtainable ultimate lower limit (can
get close, but never get exactly zero).
Wiens Law Stefan-Boltzmann Law
Relates peak wavelength Flux F = Energy emitted per second per area by a
and Temperature:
blackbody with Temperature (T):

0.0029 F = T4
peak m
T (K )
is Boltzmann's constant (a number).
In Words:
Hotter objects are BLUER In Words:
Cooler objects are REDDER Hotter objects are Brighter at All Wavelengths

Examples:
Heat a piece of iron from 300K to 600K
Temperature increases by 2
Brightness increases by 24 = 16
Peak wavelength shifts towards the blue by 2
from ~10m in the mid-Infrared to ~5m in the
near-Infrared.
Hotter objects get brighter at all
wavelengths and get bluer in color.
Examples
Person: Body Temperature = 310 K
Peak wavelength = 9400 nm (infrared)
Typical adult emits about 100 Watts of infrared
light.
Sun: surface temperature = 5770 K
Peak wavelength = 503 nm (visible light)
Emits about 3.81026 Watts of mostly visible
light, infrared and ultraviolet.

Blackbody
Blackbody Radiation
Spectrum

emitted by hot dense (solid) objects

they absorb everything

reflect nothing
light coming out depends on T and on T only.