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TheJoninator
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In a light bulb, is the filament made up of elements which each produce a colour of visible light to make white?
mscudder3 said:White light is seen by the human eye because all frequencies (each color) are being produced. More formally, the power spectral density is uniform over the visible light spectrum. This means that each of the eye's cones are stimulated equally. Therefor the filament of a light bulb is emitting energies uniformly across the visible light energy spectrum. Each wavelength (which defines color) is given by lamda=c/v, where c is the speed of light and v is the frequency. This frequency is directly related to the energy of the light wave by Planck's constant, h (E=hv). Thus, each characteristic energy (in the visible light spectrum) is being emitted by the element. In the case of conventional filaments, this element is Tungsten. Due to the high melting point of tungsten, the variety of photon emissions is large enough to cover the visible light spectrum (since they are dependent on temperature).
Hope this helps!
TheJoninator said:Ok, but how can one element emit different frequency photons? I thought that each element only emitted one frequency of photon?
The scientific explanation for how white light is made up of all the colors in visible light is through the process of refraction and dispersion. White light is composed of a spectrum of colors, each with a unique wavelength and frequency. When white light passes through a prism, the different wavelengths are refracted at different angles, causing them to separate and become visible as individual colors. This is known as dispersion.
This is because the human eye has three types of color receptors, or cones, that are sensitive to red, green, and blue light. When all three types of cones are stimulated equally, they create the perception of white light. This is known as additive color mixing.
Yes, white light can be created artificially through the use of various light sources, such as incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lights, and LEDs. These sources emit a combination of different wavelengths that appear as white light to the human eye.
No, white light is not the only type of light that contains all the colors in visible light. Other types of light, such as sunlight, also contain a full spectrum of colors. However, not all types of light contain the same balance of colors, and some may have a dominant color or range of colors.
Understanding how white light is made up of all the colors in visible light is important in various fields, such as optics, photography, and lighting design. It also helps us understand how our eyes perceive color and how different light sources can affect our perception of color. Additionally, this knowledge is crucial in the development of technologies such as color displays, lasers, and medical imaging devices.