How far does red light travel.

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter MaxManus
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    Light Travel
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the properties and behavior of red light compared to other types of light, particularly in contexts such as military applications and atmospheric effects. It includes questions about visibility, scattering, and the perception of light in different environments.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification, Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that red light travels shorter distances than other types of light, particularly in the context of military use.
  • Others argue that the military uses infrared light for night vision, which is not visible to the enemy, and that the distance light travels is unrelated to its visibility.
  • One participant questions the reasons for the sun appearing reddish at sunrise and sunset, proposing that atmospheric scattering affects the color seen.
  • Another participant claims that red light is beneficial in certain environments, such as aircraft cockpits, to reduce eye strain while maintaining visibility.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the properties of red light and its applications, with no consensus reached on the initial claim regarding the distance red light travels compared to other light.

Contextual Notes

Some claims depend on specific definitions of light types and their interactions with the atmosphere, which are not fully explored in the discussion.

MaxManus
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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?
 
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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.
 

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