How far does red light travel.

  • Thread starter Thread starter MaxManus
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Light Travel
AI Thread Summary
Red light does not travel shorter distances than other light; the military uses infrared light for night operations because it is invisible to enemies. The perception of the sun appearing reddish at sunrise and sunset is due to atmospheric scattering, where blue light is scattered more than red. This scattering results in the blue sky seen away from the sun, while the red light predominates during those times. Additionally, red light is beneficial in low-light environments, such as aircraft cockpits, as it minimizes eye strain while allowing visibility of controls. Overall, red light's properties and uses are distinct from misconceptions about its travel distance.
MaxManus
Messages
268
Reaction score
1
Hey, I have heard that red light travels shorter than regular light. I am thinking of flashlights, where I learned that people in the army uses red light to make them less visible. Is this true?
 
Science news on Phys.org
It is not true. The army uses infrared light for "night vision" because the light can't be seen by the enemy. The soldiers need special equipment that makes the infrared visible to them. The distance the light travels has nothing to do with it.
 
Thanks.
 
Why does the sun look reddish at sunrise and sunset?
 
Because the sun is being turned off/on at those times, since it doesn't shine during the night. Like, duh.
 
Bob S said:
Why does the sun look reddish at sunrise and sunset?
The atmosphere scatters blue light more than red light. At sunrise and sunset, you see the light coming toward you with much of its blue component scattered away.
The blue sky you when you don't look directly at the sun (which would blind you) is the scattered blue light.
 
I don't know if this helps, but red light illuminated within, say, an aircraft cockpit, allows visual response to controls and paperwork without over-stimulation to the eyes.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top