Light
How does a soap bubble allow us to see different colors of light?
The bubble separates the white light from the sun into different wavelengths of light (colors of light) and reflects certain colors into our eyes.
Why can we see yellow and red light of a candle?
The charged particles of the candle vibrate and emit electromagnetic waves at low frequencies (red/yellow part of the color spectrum)
What is impedance mismatch? What type of substance would it be high in and what type of substance would it be low in?
A abrupt change of how the light wave moves through its environment causing some light to pass through and some to be reflected.
What is visible light?
Electromagnetic waves of light between 400-650 nm (ROYGBIV)
What is refraction?
The bending of light at the surface of a substance.
What is dispersion
The dependence of how fast a wavelength of light moves through a substance. Shorter wavelengths move faster (red) and longer wavelengths move slower (violet)
How does light travel?
Passing light waves cause individual charged atoms, particles, and molecules to vibrate and absorb and then emit the light wave forward until it reaches the earth's surface.
What is reflection of light?
When the light wave bounces off the surface of a substance.
What causes a rainbow?
Light separated by color in the raindrop. Only rain in a narrow arch reflects light to you. Rain at the inner edge reflects violet light and rain at the outer edge reflects red light.
What is infrared light?
Light that we cannot see. (Long wave length, low frequency) We can feel these electromagnetic waves if we stand in front of a hot object.
Why is the sky red at night?
The light is traveling long distances and the blue light Rayleigh-scatters to the east and west far away from you and all that is left to see is the red light.
Why does a diamond sparkle all the colors of the visible light (ROYGBIV)?
A diamond exhibits dispersion, so different frequencies of light follow different paths and emerge from the diamond at different angles, so you can see the colors individually.
What is UV light?
It is invisible as well, but alters cells (causes damage like sunburns) Short wavelength, high frequency.
Why is the sky blue?
Light that enters the atmosphere interacts with the particles of the atmosphere and emits the waves out in all directions. It only does this with the shortest wavelengths of light (the blue waves) so when these scattered waves reach our eyes we only see blue.
Why are clouds white?
Clouds are white because they contain large water droplets that reflect all wavelengths of light.