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Mad_Eye
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and what is the meaning of wave length and such in the light?
(and how do our eyes distinguished one from another, and ignoring some)
(and how do our eyes distinguished one from another, and ignoring some)
Wiki has a good basic description about how light is converted into a nerve signal:Nirgal said:Also, this may not be totally correct, since I have not verified this with a professional, but I have always assumed that the eye can observe light due to the same reason that personal radios can observe music emitted from a radio station. When an electromagnetic wave passes over a conductor, such as a wire or antenna, it generates a current in the wire and this current is then generated into music from the circuitry and mechanics of the radio. I draw an analogy (not exceptionally rigorous) between the radio and the eye. When an electromagnetic wave (light) passes over or through our bodies, some of it passes into our eyes and current is generated along nerve cells (conductors) which is then physiologically transformed into visual-perception.
Like I said, not 100% sure this is how it all works.
DaveC426913 said:Light has a frequency and can be made to interfere with itself, causing interference patterns. This means it must have properties of a wave.
Wavelength is simply velocity divided by frequency to get a distance. Typical visible light wavelengths are 390-750 nanometres.
Our eyes react chemically to different frequencies of light. We have three types of receptors. Each one reacts to a different range of frequencies: red green and blue.
Perpendicular electric and magnetic fields oscillating in phase. If this electromagnetic wave oscillates in a particular frequency range, we see it as visible light.Mad_Eye said:frequency of what? what is repeating here that have frequency?
Kracatoan said:I read the question as WHY is light a wave, not WHY do we know it is a wave. Maybe that would be fun to discuss.
A wave is a disturbance that travels through a medium, carrying energy from one place to another, without displacing the medium itself.
Light is classified as an electromagnetic wave, meaning it consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space.
Light exhibits multiple properties of waves, including wavelength, frequency, and the ability to diffract and interfere. It also follows the principles of superposition and exhibits a wave-particle duality.
A transverse wave is characterized by oscillations perpendicular to the direction of propagation, while a longitudinal wave has oscillations parallel to the direction of propagation. Light is a transverse wave.
There have been numerous experiments and observations that have demonstrated the wave-like nature of light. This includes the double-slit experiment, which showed interference patterns, and the photoelectric effect, which showed that light can behave like a particle. The wave theory of light has also been able to successfully explain and predict many phenomena, such as diffraction and polarization.