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quantum123
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Why does long wavelength infrared not penetrate glass?
It comes up a lot here - it's probably in the sticky thread, do a search for a more complete answerTESLACOILZAP said:Ive always wondered why something as dense as glass or water is transparent
Glass is a transparent material, meaning it allows light to pass through it. However, glass is not transparent to all wavelengths of light. Infrared light, which has a longer wavelength than visible light, is not able to pass through glass. This is because glass is made up of atoms that are arranged in a way that absorbs and reflects infrared light rather than allowing it to pass through.
The atoms in glass are arranged in a regular pattern, creating a rigid structure. This structure is responsible for the transparency of glass to visible light, as it allows the light to pass through without being absorbed or reflected. However, this same structure also causes glass to absorb and reflect long wavelength infrared, preventing it from penetrating through.
All types of glass, including clear, tinted, and colored glass, are able to block long wavelength infrared light. This is because the structure of glass that makes it transparent to visible light is the same for all types of glass.
Yes, certain types of glass can be specially designed to allow long wavelength infrared to pass through. These types of glass are commonly used in scientific and industrial applications, such as in infrared spectroscopy instruments. However, this type of glass is not commonly used in everyday objects like windows and mirrors.
The fact that glass blocks long wavelength infrared can be both beneficial and problematic for buildings. On one hand, it helps to keep heat inside during colder months and prevents heat from entering during hotter months, making buildings more energy efficient. On the other hand, it also blocks the heat from the sun's infrared rays, making it more difficult to heat a building with natural sunlight. This is why some buildings use special glass designed to allow infrared to pass through for heating purposes.