Light Rays: Photons, Electrons & Gratings

[EIRE2003]

1. The light rays from the sun and artificial lights, are all light rays made up of 'photons' which travel in the form of waves?

2. During a sunstorm, when the Auroras form in the ionosphere by electrons colliding with atomic o2 and atomic nitrogen, can these electrons be thought of as 'Beta Rays'?

3. When a beam of white light is diffracted in a grating and dispersed into its component colours, do all these photons of light have the same energies yea?

 

[mathman]

1. The light rays from the sun and artificial lights, are all light rays made up of 'photons' which travel in the form of waves?

Yes

2. During a sunstorm, when the Auroras form in the ionosphere by electrons colliding with atomic o2 and atomic nitrogen, can these electrons be thought of as 'Beta Rays'?

The term "beta rays" is usually reserved for electrons that are emitted during radioactive decay. However all electrons are the same.

3. When a beam of white light is diffracted in a grating and dispersed into its component colours, do all these photons of light have the same energies yea?

Photon energies are directly proportional to frequency (inverse of wavelength). Therefore energy depends on color.