Magnitude and Light brightness question

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the perceived brightness of candles at varying distances, emphasizing that intensity is determined by power divided by area. In a three-dimensional context, the closer candles will appear brighter due to higher intensity, while in a one-dimensional scenario, this relationship may not hold. The original problem posed involves ranking the brightness of multiple candles at different distances, leading to confusion about the dimensionality of the situation. Clarification is sought regarding the conceptual understanding of light intensity in physics. Understanding these principles is crucial for grasping the concepts in a conceptual physics course.
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If I see 3 candles at 3 m across compared to 2 candles at 2 m across or 1 candle at 1 m across...does it make a difference in terms of brightness if more candles are seen at greater distances? Is the magnitude of light for all 3 situations the same?
 
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Its about intensity, which is given by power/area is proportional to intensity. So technically, the nearer one will have its intensity higher. If we're considering a 3 dimensional space, which is in your question, then yes. If we're talking about 1 dimensional then no
 
quantumtron said:
Its about intensity, which is given by power/area is proportional to intensity. So technically, the nearer one will have its intensity higher. If we're considering a 3 dimensional space, which is in your question, then yes. If we're talking about 1 dimensional then no

Thx for your reply buddy. It is not a homework problem, it was in the review section and it confused me. The problem had stated: "Consider the light of multiple candle flames, each of the same brightness. Rank from brightest to dimmest the light that enters your eye for the following situations: a. 3 candles seen from a distance of 3 m. b. 2 candles seen from a distance of 2 m. c. I candle seen from a distance of 1 m."

So this is talking about 1-dimensional I think. I am just a little confused..this is a conceptual physics course and I want to make sure that I am understanding the concepts!
 
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