- #1
tkyoung75
- 48
- 4
Okay, best to provide some background here. I am trying to understand the light coming from the LED's over my aquarium. I have blue moon lights I think at about 540nm and 450nm. Oddly enough, when they are on, there is a green tinge to the light. I had assumed that this was because the light lost energy as it hit the water, therefore lengthening the wavelength. However, as I tried to further prove to myself that this was what was happening I learned that the wavelength of the light decreases as it hits the water.
Up until now, I was of the understanding that the UV light was higher energy, but there is a contradiction in the above. Is it that the UV light is a more 'concentrated' energy, and that the colour change is due to refraction and / or 'wave-spreading' of the more angular incidences of light (they are only 60 degree lights)? Or is it that the light loses colour temperature?
I am guessing that it is a combination:
- the green tinge is from wavelength being spread as it hits at an angle, combined with some prismatic effect bending green light, present in the imperfect light beam, further than it bends the blue.
- The light also loses energy at the surface and as it dissipates through the water.
Please confirm / correct / elaborate
Up until now, I was of the understanding that the UV light was higher energy, but there is a contradiction in the above. Is it that the UV light is a more 'concentrated' energy, and that the colour change is due to refraction and / or 'wave-spreading' of the more angular incidences of light (they are only 60 degree lights)? Or is it that the light loses colour temperature?
I am guessing that it is a combination:
- the green tinge is from wavelength being spread as it hits at an angle, combined with some prismatic effect bending green light, present in the imperfect light beam, further than it bends the blue.
- The light also loses energy at the surface and as it dissipates through the water.
Please confirm / correct / elaborate